A riot has erupted ahead of Friday's 10,000-meter race in Beijing.

And it is the Swedish big favorite Nils van der Poel who started it.

An article on the Dutch federation, KSVB's, website published a few days ago, revealed that ice expert Sander van Ginkel is on site at the Olympics to try to influence the ice makers in Beijing.

At a press conference, Nils van der Poel, who won Olympic gold in the 5,000 meters on Sunday, aired his dissatisfaction:

- It should not be about influencing judges or others.

It's a shame, he said.

Rejected claims

KSVB has since rejected that it would be an attempt to influence the ice tasters, but only an attempt to share experiences and that they wanted van der Poel to talk to them first.

At Thursday's training before the 10,000 meter race, van der Poel's coach, Johan Röjler, read out a statement.

- We gave KSVB the chance to answer our concerns about the article before we answered any questions about it, says Röjler and believes that KSVB has not shown any remorse for what happened.

"Needed to say this"

As for the Swedish big favorite, the uproar should not have affected him so much according to Röjler.

- He felt that he needed to say this to stand up for his own values.

Now he has said what he thinks.

As a champion, you can not only stand up for your own successes, you must also stand up for what you think is wrong and dare to say it, says Röjler about van der Poel.

- Now we focus on 10,000 meters and then we will see if this develops, he continues.

But it is not only from the Swedish side that they reacted, several other skiers from different countries have thanked van der Poel.

- There are several leaders and skiers who pat on the back and say that it is good that it is taken up, says Röjler.

- There are always two sides of the same coin, but if what Nils says is true, then it is badly done to try to negotiate better ice for their practitioners.

It is unfair and badly done if it is true, says the Norwegian boxer Hallgeir Engebråten according to NTB.

Roest: "He is an odd character"

Rival Patrick Roest, second in the 5,000-meter race, thinks that the Swede's move is excessive.

- I know he's an odd character, but for the most part it's fun.

These accusations are very serious, but it is obviously not as bad as he thinks it is, Roest says to Welingelichte Kringen.

Although Roest agrees that some of the formulations from the Dutch federation have been clumsy, he is disappointed that van der Poel has drawn parallels to, for example, doping.

- When I saw it, I thought: what the hell is this?

Why is he making it so big?

These are serious allegations.

I'm a little disappointed in him.

- When you express it like that on paper, it sounds very bad.

But it's not that serious.

We always measure the ice and the ice maker often asks for that data.

But it is not the case that we tell them what to do, he says.

10,000 meters will be decided on Friday, at 9.00 Swedish time.