Ammann dropped: Ski jumping boss explains reasons

When the Swiss World Cup squad for the season's opening competitions was announced last week, one major name was missing: Simon Ammann.

Evergreen Ammann temporarily absent from World Cup >>>

As a result, the ski jumping icon will miss the events in Lillehammer, Ruka, Wisla, Titisee-Neustadt, and potentially Engelberg. The Swiss Ski Federation is instead relying on the quintet of Gregor Deschwanden, Sandro Hauswirth, Juri Kesseli, Kilian Peier, and Remo Imhof.

The latter prevailed over the four-time Olympic champion in the battle for the final remaining World Cup spot, as Swiss discipline chief Joel Bieri revealed in an interview with "SRF": "We have a clear culture of selecting based on performance. In the end, Remo Imhof came out on top against Simon. So, the case was clear for us." He added that they want to compete with the athletes "who are in the best form."

Norcic: "I'm sure he will come back"

Ammann is left with the only option of making a case for the World Cup via the Continental Cup. Bieri makes it clear that the door is by no means closed for the 45-year-old: "Theoretically, even a C-squad athlete could force their way in." At the home World Cup in Engelberg, he could be awarded one of four national starting spots.

Until then, the 45-year-old will definitely not compete in any World Cup events. Ammann took the decision not to be considered for the first World Cup stops "very professionally," head coach Bine Norcic emphasized in an interview with the television broadcaster, adding: "We communicate well with Simon. I am sure he will come back."

At the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002 and Vancouver in 2010, the Swiss jumper claimed gold on both the normal and large hills. Currently, he is far from reaching such heights.

It also remains unclear whether he will compete in the Four Hills Tournament for the 28th time this World Cup winter.