Gjert Ingebrigtsen will stand trial in 2025 on charges of physical abuse against his sons Jakob, Filip and Henrik. Jakob is a two-time Olympic gold medallist.

Earlier this year, Norwegian police laid charges against the father. At that time, his lawyer said, “they involved only one of his children while other charges were dismissed.”

The charges will now extend to incidents involving Jakob, 24. Jakob won the gold medal in the 5,000-metre event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. His lawyer Mette Yvonne Larsen told Reuters.

“He is now charged with having abused two of his seven kids. We had expected that this would happen,” she said. A daughter, and another son, the eldest, are not involved in the charges and deny them causing a rift in the family.

Gjert’s lawyers, John Christian Elden and Heidi Reisvang said in a statement, “Gjert Ingebrigtsen maintains what he has said all along, that he does not admit criminal guilt for the offences he has been charged with. And he has never subjected any of his children to either physical or mental abuse.”

Jakob accuses Gjert of slapping him twice in 2008 and kicking him in the stomach after he fell off a scooter in 2009.

There were also numerous incidents of verbal abuse and threats in 2015 and 2016. Jakob, said in one incident that his father assaulted him for between 15 and 30 minutes.

The Times reported that, according to the charges, Gjert allegedly threatened to beat Jakob “to death.”

Jakob and his brothers are accusing their father of physical violence and abusive behaviour.

Gjert Ingebrigtsen announced in 2022 that he was stepping down as coach. The statement came out shortly after Jakob won gold in the 1,500m event during the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Jakob is a two-time Olympic and World Athletics champion. He also won two silver medals at the world championships in the 1500m events. He holds world records or world’s best-known times in the 2000m, 3000m and two-miles (3218m), indoor or “short track” 1500m at 3:30.60

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR