Norwegian athlete Sturla Holm Lægreid expressed his ‘regret’ after his live TV confession overshadowed his teammate’s victory.
Much like the tradition of passing around an object to indicate one’s turn to speak, winning a Winter Olympic medal seemed to trigger something within Sturla Holm Lægreid.
While being interviewed by Norwegian broadcaster NRK, the athlete confessed to cheating on his girlfriend, sitting beside his teammate who had just secured a gold medal.
The 28-year-old was emotional about his win, admitting it wasn’t as fulfilling because he couldn’t share the joy with his girlfriend due to his infidelity months prior.
He later questioned whether it was ‘the right choice’ to reveal the truth on live television, expressing uncertainty but hoping the admission might help ‘get her back’.
Despite his intention not to ‘steal the show,’ Lægreid inadvertently did just that.
With hindsight now in play, Lægreid has issued an apology to his teammate after reflecting further on the incident.
It may have been ‘the worst week of his life’ for Lægreid, but it was also a significant week for his Winter Olympics teammate Johan-Olav Botn.
Botn not only achieved the remarkable feat of winning a gold medal, something many athletes aspire to.
He also dedicated his gold medal to his late teammate Sivert Guttorm Bakken, who passed away in December.
Shortly after his public confession, Lægreid acknowledged that it was ‘maybe’ ‘really selfish’ of him ‘to give that interview’.
On February 11, Lægreid apologized to both his ex-girlfriend and Botn in a statement shared by Norway’s state broadcaster NRK, expressing ‘deep regret for bringing up this personal story on what was a day of celebration for Norwegian biathlon’.
He added: “I am not quite myself these days, and I am not thinking clearly. My apologies go to Johan-Olav, who deserved all the attention after winning gold.”
He also extended his apologies to his ex-girlfriend, who ‘unwillingly ended up in the media spotlight,’ wishing her well.
His ex-girlfriend, who remains anonymous, stated she ‘did not choose to be put in this position’.
Lægreid concluded: “I cannot change what has happened, but I will now put this behind me and focus on the Olympics. I will not be answering any further questions about this.”
Ah, the clarity that comes with hindsight!