Olympic 1,500-meter champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and his brothers Filip and Henrik have accused their father and former coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen of physical violence and abusive behavior, according to Norwegian newspaper VG. Gjert Ingebrigtsen has denied the allegations.
Family disputes have been the subject of speculation since Gjert announced his resignation as coach in 2022, shortly after Jakob won Olympic gold in Tokyo. Gjert had trained 23-year-old Jakob, 30-year-old Filip and 32-year-old Henrik throughout their childhood and throughout most of their careers. “When we broke up with Gjert, we thought we could handle the situation in an orderly manner without mentioning the underlying circumstances,” the three brothers wrote in the Norwegian newspaper. “Now we realize that’s not possible. This matter had such serious consequences that we feel compelled to report on it. We grew up with a father who was very aggressive and controlling and used physical violence and threats in his upbringing. “We still feel the discomfort and fear that have accompanied us since childhood.”
“In a way we accepted it. We lived with it and moved on into adulthood. At least that’s what we thought. Looking back, we realize he was naive. But two years ago the same attacks and physical punishment occurred again. “It was the last straw,” the brothers explain. Gjert Ingebrigtsen said through his lawyer: “The statements you make are unfounded. I have never used violence against my children. I also realized that I had weaknesses as a father and that I was too great a coach, albeit too late.”
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