The brothers issued a statement just now to the Norwegian newspaper VG, translated from Google :
THIS IS OUR STORY
We have never wanted private details from our family situation to be published in the Norwegian media, and we are sorry that outsiders are affected. Now we want peace, for all parties. That is why we tell our story. It hurts, but we see no other way out.
By: Henrik, Jakob and Filip Ingebrigtsen
For almost two years, the Norwegian media have written about our break with Gjert as coach, and the consequences this has entailed. The background has been described as a family conflict. That is correct. Out of respect for the whole family, we have not wanted to go into the details. It has been difficult and very burdensome for many, including ourselves.
Since the WC this summer, the media has intensified the coverage of the relationship between us and Gjert. Several people have been drawn into the case. Narve Gilje Nordås, his supporters and the athletics association are some of them. The media has given free rein to others to present gross personal characteristics. For our part, we have talked about ourselves and not others.
The case is now presented as a conflict of interest between us, the athletics association and our running colleague. At times we have been portrayed as demanding, exclusionary - and rowdy - towards people in the athletics environment.
It is a simplification we cannot live with.
At the same time, we want to acknowledge one thing: There are strong feelings involved in this case on our part. Sometimes we have chosen words we wish we hadn't chosen. We apologize for that.
For us, this case is about one thing: a very serious and burdensome family situation.
When we broke up with Gjert, we thought we would be able to handle the situation in an orderly manner, without mentioning the underlying circumstances. We now realize that is not possible. This matter has become so inflamed, and has had such great consequences, that we feel a responsibility to clean it up. We can only do that by telling our story.
Writing what we are about to write now hurts, in many ways. It hurts because it affects a person who has meant a lot to us and our career. It affects people we are close to. And it affects people who have never asked to be drawn into a public conflict.
It still feels important to do so.
We have grown up with a father who has been very aggressive and controlling, and who has used physical violence and threats as part of his upbringing. We still feel discomfort and fear, which has been in us since childhood.
Somehow we have accepted this. We have lived with it, and in adulthood we have moved on. At least we thought so. In retrospect, we realize that it was naive. But two years ago, the same aggression and physical punishment struck again.
It was the drop that made the cup run over.
We have known the fear of growing up with a father who is aggressive, controlling and violent. When we were smaller, we were a big group of siblings who were in this together. Now the situation is unbearable.
We should have contributed to stopping the situation earlier. The fact that we didn't do it weighs on us. Two years ago we had enough.
VG's editorial assessment
From this moment we chose to break with our father. Then it also became impossible for us to continue with him as coach.
The situation we have been through in the family has cost an extremely large amount. In the midst of this, we have tried to perform. The pressure we have felt has been inhumane at times. We run out of energy, and the joy of playing sports is gone.
Now we want peace to focus on training and competitions. We also want our competitors and running colleagues to be allowed to do that. We want to return to the joy of playing sports and representing Norway with the flag on our chest. But most of all, we want the family and everyone we love to be safe.
Therefore, we have asked that the athletics association does not put us in situations where we can be faced with a father we do not have the capacity or desire to deal with. Not now.
There are many people who want to talk to us about this matter. We don't want that. This case has cost too much already. Now we want to move on and we hope that our family can find peace.