Gjert Ingebrigtsen, the father and former coach of the Norwegian runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen, pleaded not guilty as his trial began on Monday. He is accused of physically abusing two of his children, including the two-times Olympic champion.
The 59-year-old could face up to six years in prison if found guilty, with the trial expected to run until mid-May in the city of Sandnes. Norwegian police pressed charges against Ingebrigtsen Sr last year, accusing him of abusing two of his seven children, including Jakob for several years.
The police started their investigation in October 2023 when Jakob and his fellow athlete brothers, Filip and Henrik, accused their father of physical violence and abusive behaviour in a Norwegian newspaper column. The charge against Gjert for the abuse of his daughter was filed at the end of April 2024. Six months later he was also charged with abusing Jakob.
Jakob, who completed a golden double in the 1500m and 3,000m at the world indoor championships in Nanjing, China on Sunday, accused his father of several incidents of abuse, according to Norwegian media, including slapping him twice in 2008 and kicking him in the stomach after he fell off a scooter in 2009.
Gjert announced in 2022 that he was stepping down as coach not long after Jakob won Olympic gold in the 1500m in Tokyo, prompting widespread speculation in Norway over their rift.
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The family became a household name in 2016 when the TV show Team Ingebrigtsen aired for five seasons on the national broadcaster, NRK, showcasing the large family as they trained and balanced their sporting ambitions with daily life.