A few days ago, the name Sturla Holm Lgreid might not have appealed to many sports enthusiasts around the world. In the early hours of Tuesday, February 12, those who followed the Winter Olympics closely would know him simply as the bronze medalist in the 20 kilometer individual biathlon. As the day drew to a close, however, he was known for something entirely different—for A Norwegian biathlete who confessed to cheating on his partner on live TV.
Team Norway has just won two biathlon medals, a gold and a bronze, at the Milan-Cortina Games – a moment full of pride and emotion. Not long ago, one of the stars of the team, Sivert Guttorm Bakken, died and the performance was intended to be a tribute to him. The gold medalist, Johan-Olav Botn, echoed this sentiment perfectly, pointing to the sky in memory of his fallen teammate.
When it came to Lgreid, similar emotions were expected to surface. After all, it was his first individual Olympic medal, and the Norwegian media expected the usual reactions on the podium – gratitude to his family, coaches or perhaps a special person in his life.
Lgreid decided to mention someone special. And that choice would define his shame.
In an interview with Norwegian media, Lgreid admitted to cheating on his girlfriend – the “love of his life” as he called her – just seconds into the interview.
“Six months ago I met the love of my life. The most beautiful and sweetest person in the world. And three months ago I made the biggest mistake of my life and cheated on her,” Lgreid said as he broke into tears.
“I’m not really sure what I’m trying to say right now, but sports have taken a backseat these past few days. I wish I could share that with her.”
At least he got the last part right – probably in the worst possible way.
From a journalistic point of view, it was a gold mine. The video went viral. Cranks went up. But when the athletic success was stripped away, Lgreid emerged as someone who simply couldn’t read a room.
READ THE ROOM, STURO
First, let’s address why Lgreid was wrong, starting with the act itself. Without playing with the moral compass, cheating is hardly something to defend against – especially when you’re describing someone as the “love of your life”. No amount of public confession, however emotional, will clear this image.
More disturbing was how his confession dragged his partner into unwanted global attention. While people try to reconcile many things with ex-partners, emotionally cornering someone through a public platform is not one of them. This spotlight was not chosen by Lgreid’s partnerand her answer made it clear.
“I didn’t choose to be in this position and it’s painful to endure,” she told VG. “We have been in touch and he is aware of my feelings.
Then came the sports costs.
It was supposed to be a day celebrating Botno’s gold and Norway’s dominance in a sport deeply rooted in the country’s culture. Instead, the narrative shifted entirely—away from athletic perfection and toward a personal confession framed as a grand romantic gesture.
Lgreid apologized for stealing the reflector from Botno and later paid homage to Bakken, but at the time it seemed more like damage control than rebound.
Olympic biathlon gold medalist Johannes Thingnes B¸, who now works as an expert for NRK, questioned the timing of the confession.
“It was a complete surprise. His act was wrong – we saw a repentant boy standing there. Unfortunately, the time, place and timing are wrong,” B¸ said.
This was ultimately Lgreid’s major flaw.
IS LAEGREID EVIL — OR JUST PEOPLE?
While B¸ criticized Lgreid’s actions, he also showed empathy.
“With Sturly, the emotions are on the outside of his body. He can’t hide it. I think it just exploded. I don’t know if he thought it was going to happen beforehand,” B¸ said.
Speaking without thinking is something everyone has done. But consider the context in which Lgreid found himself—physically exhausted after a grueling race, emotionally burdened by personal guilt, suddenly thrust into the spotlight after winning an Olympic medal.
In this state, restriction is difficult. His own words made it clear.
“My only way to solve this is to tell everything and put everything on the table and hope she can still love me. I did it for her and now for the world. I have nothing to lose. I want to be a good role model, but I have to admit when I make mistakes.”
He later added:
“Of course, now I hope I didn’t ruin Johanna’s day. I don’t know if it was the right choice or not, but it was the choice I made. I decided to tell the world what I did, so maybe there’s a chance they’ll see what it really means to me – maybe not, but I don’t want to think I didn’t try everything to give her day back. I don’t want to show it. I don’t want to. Then you’re an Olympic gold medalist forever.”
Not naming his partner – and acknowledging Botna’s moment – may be the only thing Lgreid managed on a day of sporting success and personal shame.
He said he wanted to be a role model. And maybe he became one — not because of what to say, but because of what not to say, on national television, moments after winning an Olympic medal.
– The end
Published on:
February 12, 2026