Valentine’s Day is coming and love is in the air – but maybe not for one Olympic medal-winning Norwegian biathlete. His admission in an interview, and the fallout, offers a few pointed lessons in communications.
Here’s the lowdown. At the Milano Cortina Olympics, Sturla Holm Laegreid captured the bronze in the 20-kilometre individual biathlon (which combines cross-country skiing and shooting a rifle at targets). His teammate took the gold. Shortly after the event, Laegreid was interviewed by Norwegian broadcaster NRK and confessed to cheating. Not in the competition, but in his relationship.
“Six months ago I met the love of my life. The world’s most beautiful, sweetest person. And three months ago I made the biggest mistake of my life and cheated on her,” a tearful Laegreid told the interviewer.
He said that he’d told his now ex-partner of his infidelity a week earlier. “I’m sure many people now see me in a different light, but I only have eyes for her,” he continued. “I’m not quite sure what I’m trying to say by saying this now, but sport has taken a back seat in recent days. I wish I could share this with her.”
A day later, his former girlfriend responded, saying it will be hard to forgive Laegreid, both for the cheating and for his public confession on a world stage. Then, in a statement issued by the Norwegian team, Laegreid expressed remorse about doing the interview, upstaging his teammate and putting his ex in the media spotlight. “I deeply regret sharing this personal story on what was a day of celebration for Norwegian biathlon,” Laegreid said. “I am not quite myself these days, and not thinking clearly.”
Let’s unpack.
Love is messy. Communications doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re speaking from a medal podium or a corporate one, here are six reminders.
1. Once it’s out, there are no take-backs. In public communications, clips and screenshots are forever. Your words will outlive your intentions. So choose them carefully. High-stress moments only raise the stakes, demanding more deliberation. You control the delivery, so well-planned messaging matters.
2. Know your audience. Laegreid may have felt he was addressing one person, but his words went out to millions. When you speak publicly, you’re talking to all stakeholders. They have different needs, and your message must land with each of them.
3. Be transparent, but don’t overshare. While Laegreid was honest, he was also unfiltered. His admission came across as impulsive and self‑serving. For someone whose sport is about staying on a course, he didn’t respect boundaries. When communicating, leaders need to match transparency with structure: who needs to hear what you’re saying, what’s the purpose, what outcomes are you trying to achieve, and is this the right venue?
4. Match public declarations with action. Public messaging can’t fix damage if you’re not taking the right steps behind the scenes. Words are hollow without action, from making operational changes to meeting customer expectations. Don’t be performative.
5. Take accountability, but don’t make someone else collateral damage in your narrative. Laegreid’s ex didn’t choose the spotlight; he put her there. In corporate crisis communications, that would be like calling out partners, vendors, employees or clients before they’ve been briefed. When telling your story, don’t turn others into props. It can create confusion, and erode trust in your judgment and leadership.
6. Choose your moments. Laegreid not only offered a message that wasn’t thought out, he did so at an inopportune time. This was an occasion for celebration and honouring a teammate. Even the right message becomes the wrong one if delivered at the wrong moment. Communications isn’t just about content, but about selecting the right time, place and context.
Laegreid’s communications strategy didn’t work. He shot his shot and missed the target. In romance, well, that’s life. It’s also a case study in how messaging can go off track. For world-class athletes, CEOs, PR professionals and spokespeople alike, effective communications demands the same thing: Olympics-level discipline.
Stuart Foxman is a Toronto-based freelance writer, who helps clients’ products, services, ideas and organizations to come alive. Connect with me here on LinkedIn, or check me out at foxmancommunications.com where I share these blogs too. More original posts coming regularly about communications, information, motivation, writing, branding, creativity, media, marketing, persuasion, messages, learning, etc.
February 11, 2026