In a moment that transcended sport, Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid used the global platform of an Olympic post-race interview to make a startling personal admission. Shortly after securing a bronze medal in the men’s 20km individual event at the Milan Cortina Games, the athlete confessed to infidelity, calling it the greatest mistake of his life.
Visibly emotional and fighting back tears, the 28-year-old revealed he had been unfaithful to his partner, whom he described as “the love of my life,” just three months into their relationship. He disclosed that he had informed her of the betrayal only a week prior to the Olympic competition, a period he later characterized as the most difficult of his life.
“Sport has taken a back seat in recent days,” Lægreid stated in the broadcast. “I’m not quite sure what I’m trying to say by saying this now… I wish I could share this with her.”
The confession cast a shadow over his athletic achievement, where he finished 48.3 seconds behind his gold-medal-winning teammate, Johan-Olav Botn. Lægreid expressed regret for potentially overshadowing Botn’s victory, acknowledging the selfish nature of his public disclosure. “Maybe it was really selfish of me to give that interview,” he said. “I’m not really here, mentally.”
Explaining his rationale at a subsequent press conference, the biathlete framed the revelation as a desperate final gesture. Having already confessed privately, he hoped the public act might demonstrate the depth of his remorse and feelings. “I have nothing to lose,” he explained, adding that he was “already hated” by his former partner and wished to show her how much she meant to him.
The incident marks a dramatic chapter for the athlete, who previously won Olympic gold in the relay event at the 2022 Winter Games. While he leaves Milan Cortina with a new individual medal, his legacy from these Games will be inextricably linked to a raw and unexpected confession that laid bare a profound personal crisis on the world’s biggest sporting stage.