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Norway’s Sturla Holm Lægreid Apologizes for On‑Air Cheating Confession After Olympic Bronze

He now calls the interview a mistake, vowing to refocus on competition.

Overview

  • After taking bronze in the men’s 20km individual biathlon, Lægreid used a live NRK interview to admit he cheated three months earlier, saying he told his partner about a week before the race.
  • The woman, speaking anonymously to VG, said forgiveness is hard and that she did not choose to be thrust into public view.
  • In a statement released the next day, Lægreid said he regretted sharing the personal story on a celebratory day, apologized to gold medalist Johan‑Olav Botn and his ex, and said he would not answer further questions.
  • Teammate reactions and media commentary questioned the timing, with Botn downplaying the matter and Johannes Thingnes Bø calling the setting inappropriate, according to Norwegian reports.
  • Lægreid, who previously won relay gold in 2022, acknowledged he has struggled mentally in recent days and said he will focus on the remaining Olympic events.