Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, who won bronze in the men’s biathlon at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday (10 February) in Italy, stunned viewers by publicly admitting he had cheated on his girlfriend and pleaded for another chance during post-race interviews.
Speaking to Norwegian state broadcaster NRK after the race, won by compatriot Johan-Olav Botn, with France’s Eric Perrot taking silver, 28-year-old Laegreid became tearful as he revealed he had confessed the infidelity to his partner a week earlier.
“Three months ago I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her,” he said, “It’s been the worst week of my life.”
He later told Norwegian newspaper VG that he decided to go public because he “couldn’t live his whole life keeping it a secret,” adding, “I have nothing to lose.”
His former girlfriend, who asked to remain anonymous, told VG on Wednesday that forgiveness would not be easy.
“It’s hard to forgive. Even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world,” she said, adding that she had not chosen to be put in such a position.
Laegreid, without naming her, compared losing the relationship to losing a gold medal. “I had a gold medal in my life… I only have eyes for her,” he said.
The emotional disclosure came weeks after the death of teammate Sivert Guttorm Bakken in December, which Laegreid said had affected him deeply. He later questioned whether the timing of his confession had overshadowed Botn’s victory, calling his actions “maybe really selfish.”
NRK biathlon expert and former teammate Johannes Thingnes Boe said he was shocked.
“The time, place and timing are all wrong,” Boe said, describing Laegreid as visibly repentant but overwhelmed.
Laegreid later reiterated to VG that he was “not ready to give up” and was prepared to face the consequences of his actions.
The death of a laboratory employee at a Russian plague research institute in Siberia has triggered a major public health response and international...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing it...
Regional powers gathered in Moscow on Monday for talks on Afghanistan, focusing on security, economic cooperation and Kabul’s relations with ...
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
The death of a laboratory employee at a Russian plague research institute in Siberia has triggered a major public health response and international scrutiny, while authorities say there is no evidence of an outbreak.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing its captain and endangering a civilian crew that included Azerbaijani and Indian nationals.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world.
The United States has withdrawn all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, just a week after several people were arrested over an alleged plot targeting the air base.
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment