Few countries punch above their weight in sport quite like Norway.
With a population of approximately 5.6 million, it consistently produces world-class talent across soccer, athletics, winter sports, cycling, golf and tennis — a success many attribute to a distinctive model that prioritizes participation over early specialization, receives sustained public investment and benefits from a political consensus that sport should be accessible to every child.
Lubna Jaffery, Norway’s minister of culture and equality (whose portfolio includes sports) and a social-democratic politician from the governing coalition’s Labour Party, argues that approach is no accident, even in one of Europe’s wealthiest countries.
Speaking to POLITICO from Miami’s South Beach, where she had just joined thousands of Norwegian supporters in the now-famous “Viking Row,” Jaffery expanded on Norway’s emphasis on inclusiveness and play, discussed Russia’s potential reintegration to global sports — and revealed how she thinks tonight’s World Cup quarterfinal against England will play out.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Norway keeps producing world-class athletes across football, athletics, winter sports, cycling, golf, tennis. What is the secret to this — and is it the result of deliberate public policy?
Well, I think it’s the notion in Norway that when you’re young, everyone is allowed to do sports. And several sports as well. It’s not like you just do football if you’re doing football, or if you do gymnastics, you’re just doing gymnastics. A lot of the children, they’re doing several activities at the same time from quite a young age. And the competitive part of it isn’t very present at a young age — so they’re doing it mostly for fun.
I think for our government — and also for several governments before our coalition — it’s been very important that all children who want to do sports are allowed to do sports, that the pricing is reasonable and so, if you’re a part of a family that isn’t very well off, you’re also allowed to have children doing sports and also a culture of giving people the chance even though they don’t have a lot of money.
I think the playfulness in the Norwegian sporting system — that we don’t compete from a young age — is a crucial part of why we do have so many athletes doing well. Of course, it’s also due to the very, very hard work they put into it.
Many other countries pursue sporting success by specializing children earlier, spending money and placing winning as the most important thing. As international competition becomes more intense, do you think Norway can continue this development without compromising its values?
I think it’s part of who we are as Norwegians. We want to have a playful approach to sports from quite a young age. Of course, we also have to compete and teach children how it is to be in a competition — because if you want to do this professionally, it’s something you have to learn how to do and all the feelings around being a part of the competition.
I think the philosophy is very clear. OK, you’re taking part in something that is good for you, where you make friends, which gives you the ability to learn different skills that double as life skills when you grow up. If we want to compete at the level we’re doing right now internationally, it is important to take care of the model we have in Norway where inclusiveness and playfulness is a very important part.
Norway was a strong supporter of sanctions against Russia after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The direction of travel at the moment at the IOC and FIFA seems to be toward bringing the Russians back into competition. What do you think about that? Do you think it’s right or wrong?
We have a very long-standing tradition in Norwegian politics — including the Norwegian minister for sports — to support the Norwegian Football Federation and also the Norwegian Olympic Committee and their viewpoints.
So we are backing them, and the Norwegian standpoint is that they don’t want to allow Russian athletes to come back — but you have the different organizations that make the decisions, like the IOC and FIFA that, of course, Norwegian politicians aren’t a part of.
We can’t overrule what the sporting federation is doing, but we are supporting the national sporting federations in Norway and their viewpoints against Russia.
OK, last one. Give me a score prediction for Norway against England tonight.
Well, I think England should win this match, actually, if you look at their track record. Of course, I’m hoping for Norway, though. So I won’t give you a prediction. I think it’s going to be a hard match. I’m very nervous, but I have a good feeling.