An Olympian recently made a surprising confession during an interview after securing a bronze medal.
Norwegian athlete Sturla Holm Lægreid had earned the bronze in the biathlon event, which combines cross-country skiing and shooting skills.
While many would be thrilled to be recognized as an Olympic medalist, Lægreid seemed less enthusiastic in his interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK following his achievement.
His demeanor was not due to disappointment over missing out on silver or gold.
During the interview, Lægreid expressed that his bronze medal felt empty because of a mistake made three months prior, preventing him from sharing the achievement with someone significant in his life.
The 28-year-old revealed he had been unfaithful to his girlfriend, whose name he withheld during the interview.
“There’s someone I wanted to share this with who might not be watching today,” he stated.
“Six months ago, I met the love of my life and the most beautiful and kindest person in the world. And three months ago I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her.”
He had informed her about his infidelity approximately a week before the interview.
“I had a gold medal in my life…I only have eyes for her,” he said. “I don’t know what I want to achieve by saying this, but sports have been in a different line in recent days. So I wish I could share it with her.”
Regarding his decision to publicly disclose his infidelity, he explained: “You have to admit when you do something you can’t stand for, and hurt someone you love so much.”
He expressed a desire to be a ‘good role model’ by acknowledging his mistakes openly.
After gathering his thoughts, he said: “I am willing to drop a nuclear bomb on NRK and commit social suicide and be hated by everyone. Because I am already hated by her, and I hope that maybe it can make her realise how much I love her.”
Lægreid’s teammate Johannes Dale-Skjevdal confirmed that he had been informed about the affair beforehand.
Speaking to NRK, he stated: “We have known that, yes. I don’t have many comments about it now. It’s good that he is open about it, and if he wants to talk about things, that’s fine.”