Norwegian Olympian Sturla Holm Rägglid apologized for cheating on her ex-girlfriend during a live broadcast of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The athlete confessed that he “deeply regrets” having overshadowed his bronze medal and teammate Johan Olba Botton’s gold medal finish, which was “a day of celebration for Norwegian biathletes.”
“I’m not quite myself today and I’m not thinking clearly,” he said in a statement to People magazine on Wednesday. “We would like to apologize to Johan Olaf, who should have been in the spotlight after winning the gold medal.”
“That also applies to ex-girlfriends who have unintentionally been thrust into the spotlight in the media,” continued Laigreed, 28. “I hope she’s okay.”
The biathlete, who competes in rifle shooting and cross-country skiing, explained that while he “can’t change” his actions, “I’m going to put this behind me for now and focus on the Olympics.”
“I will not answer any further questions on this,” he concluded.
Mr Reagreed spoke out after Tuesday’s men’s 20km biathlon, where he candidly revealed that he had been cheating on his ex-girlfriend after three months of dating.
The bronze medalist, who dated his ex-boyfriend for six months, said it was “the biggest mistake of (his) life” and that he couldn’t enjoy the win because he wasn’t with her.
“I won a gold medal in life. I think there are a lot of people who see things differently, but I only have eyes for her,” he said. “Sports has taken a backseat these past few days. Yeah, I wish I could share this with her.”
“I try to be a good role model, but I did something stupid,” she continued. “When you have done something that you cannot forgive and have hurt someone you love very much, you must admit it.”
Ms Raygreed hoped his confession would give his ex-boyfriend “a chance to understand what she really meant[to him]”.
The ex-girlfriend, who requested anonymity, referred to the Olympian’s statement in an interview with Norwegian news outlet VG.
She said, “It’s hard to forgive (Legreed) even after he confessed his love in front of the whole world.”
“I didn’t choose to be in this position myself. It’s hard to have to be in that position. We’re in touch and he knows my opinion on this,” the woman said.
“Thank you to my family and friends who have accepted and supported me during this time. Also, to all the others who thought of me and empathized with me without knowing who I was.”
