UPDATE (02/11/26 at 3:57 p.m. ET): The ex-girlfriend of Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid is speaking out after the Olympian asked for him to take her back live on TV.
Lægreid made the plea after taking home the bronze medal in the men’s 20km biathlon competition on Tuesday, February 10. His anonymous ex reacted to the viral moment in an interview with the Norwegian outlet VG on Wednesday, February 11, stating, “It’s hard to forgive. Even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world.”
She added, “I did not choose to be put in this position, and it hurts to have to be in it. We have had contact and he is aware of my opinions on this.” Lægreid’s ex ended her comments by saying, “To my family and friends who have embraced me and supported me during this time. Also to everyone else who has thought of me and sympathized, without knowing who I am.”
The outlet noted that Lægreid did not wish to comment on his ex’s reaction.
Lægreid, for his part, apologized for his on-air cheating confession in a statement issued by the Norwegian Olympic team on Wednesday. “I deeply regret sharing this personal story on what was a day of celebration for Norwegian biathlon,” he said, per The Associated Press. “I am not quite myself these days, and not thinking clearly.”
He continued, “My apologies go to Johan-Olav, who deserved all the attention after winning gold. They also go to my ex-girlfriend, who unwillingly ended up in the media spotlight. I hope she is doing well. I cannot undo this, but I will now put it behind me and focus on the Olympics. I will not answer any further questions about this.”
ORIGINAL STORY (02/10/26 at 3:11 p.m. ET):
In one of the most unexpected moments of the 2026 Winter Olympics, an athlete admitted to cheating on his ex live on TV.
Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid took home the bronze medal in the men’s 20km biathlon competition at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Tuesday, February 10. While speaking to Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) after his third-place victory, Lægreid made a shocking confession about his love life.
Per NBC News, Lægreid admitted that he cheated on “the love of [his] life, the most beautiful and kindest person” three months ago. “I told her a week ago. And it’s been the worst week of my life,” he explained. “I had a gold medal in life, and there’s probably a lot of people out there who look at me differently now, but I only have eyes for her. Sports has taken a bit of a back seat these past couple of days. Yeah, I wish I could share this with her.”
Lægreid did not name his ex, whom he met six months ago. She dumped him upon learning of his infidelity. “I’m not ready to give up. I hope that committing social suicide [like this] might show her how much I love her,” he stated. “I accept the consequences of what I’ve done. I regret it with all my heart. Maybe I’m dumb as a rock. I’m a member of Mensa, but I still do stupid stuff.”
Lægreid went on to call his ex the “woman of my life,” adding, “can’t live my whole life keeping that from her. My only path to the finish line is to tell her everything and put it all on the table, and hope that she’ll still love me. I’ve done that for her, and now for the entire world. I’ve nothing to lose.”
Så ikke helt denne komme. Tidenes mest absurde medaljeintervju. pic.twitter.com/fFwJ1B0vCO— Daniel Vassbund (@Smoothedan) February 10, 2026
Per NBC News, Lægreid’s teammate Johannes Dale-Skjevdal told NRK that he and some of their fellow teammates were aware of Lægreid’s cheating. “I don’t have much to say about it,” he told the outlet. “It’s good that he’s open about it, and if he wants to talk about things, that’s fine, but I think it’s difficult for me to comment on now.”
Teammate Martin Uldal, for his part, said he was unaware of Lægreid’s actions. “I’ve noticed that he’s been acting differently, but I didn’t really know why,” he said. “I thought it was maybe just nerves. I’m very sad to hear it. It’s a really tough situation. We will comfort him.”
RelatedWinter Olympics 2026 Couples Guide: Which Athletes Are in a Relationship?
The shocking on-air moment has garnered shocked reactions online. “Norwegian biathlete won the bronze and then proceeded to admit to cheating on his girlfriend of six months while breaking down in tears maybe we should know less about each other,” one X user joked. Another wrote, “You have no idea how hard I burst out laughing when he dropped the reveal.”
Someone else shared, “Ridiculous arrogant a**hole. I guess his plan was to do nothing if he didn’t with a medal? Just because you’re an athlete doesn’t make you a catch.” Another person posted, “So, if he was so in love with her, it’s actually pretty impressive how short a time they were together and that he still managed to cheat on her that quickly, nice use of the Olympic interview there.”
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