Sturla Holm Lægreid’s Winter Olympics 2026 Confession Sparks Girlfriend’s Response: ‘It’s Hard to Forgive’
Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid has sparked widespread attention after publicly admitting to infidelity following his bronze medal performance at the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. The athlete’s girlfriend has now broken her silence, revealing her pain over the public nature of his confession.
Lægreid secured third place in the men’s 20km Individual race on Tuesday. Following the event, he made an unexpected personal disclosure to Norwegian state broadcaster NRK, revealing that he had been unfaithful to his girlfriend of six months approximately three months prior. “Three months ago, I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her. I told her about it a week ago. It’s been the worst week of my life,” he stated. The biathlete added that he had what felt like “a gold medal” in his life until last week, when his unfaithfulness cost him that.
His girlfriend has since responded to his public declaration in an interview with Norwegian newspaper VG. “Even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world, it’s hard to forgive. 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,” she said.
She expressed gratitude toward her family and friends for their support during this difficult period. “Also to everyone else who has thought of me and sympathised, without knowing who I am,” she added.
When VG contacted Lægreid regarding her response, he initially declined to comment but later issued an apology for bringing personal matters into what should have been a celebratory moment for Norwegian biathlon. “I deeply regret that I brought up this personal story on what was a joyous day for Norwegian biathlon. I am not quite myself today, and I am not thinking clearly,” he said.
During his initial interview, Lægreid had stated, “I had a gold medal in my life… I only have eyes for her. I don’t know what I want to achieve by saying this… I wish I could share it with her.”
‘I Hope She Can Still Love Me’
At a subsequent press conference, the athlete expressed hope regarding the timing of his confession. “I am happy because maybe she has not seen it, and maybe she will see it at the right time. I hope I don’t make it worse for her,” he said. He continued, “She’s probably still processing last week’s message, but I hope there’s light at the end of the tunnel for both of us. And that she can still love me.” Lægreid has chosen not to disclose the identity of his girlfriend.
The unusual platform chosen for such a personal admission has generated considerable reaction online. Many social media users questioned the appropriateness of making such a confession during the Olympics, with several describing it as embarrassing. A user wrote on X, “What a weird time to air your dirty laundry… it won’t help him get his girl back.” Another added, “I don’t think this is going to help his case. Embarrassing!”