– I was sitting in the dining room, so I got it quite clearly, Juni Arnekleiv tells news. Through the walls of the hotel in Lenzerheide, she heard a bang. “Hmm, that was a strange sound, did it come from the kitchen?” Arnekleiv thought. However, it didn’t take her long to realize that the sound was from a weapon. Sturla Holm Lægreid had fired a dangerous shot inside the athletes’ hotel. – It was a marked Sturla who looked forward and said sorry, that really wasn’t the intention. We realized the seriousness straight away, but no one was close to being injured, says Arnekleiv. TEAM FRIEND: Juni Arnekleiv. Photo: NTB Irritated by lack of information It was a tearful Lægreid who met news on Sunday morning. He has spoken to the Swiss police, and was denied a start by the International Biathlon Union as a result of the dangerous shot. – It’s very awkward. It’s boring when that happens, but it’s true. We engage in a sport that can potentially take lives, so all safety lapses must be handled with the strictest possible hand. So I just have to accept the consequences of what happened, said Lægreid himself. Norway’s shooting coach Siegfried Mazet says that this is the third time he has experienced something like this after over 20 years in biathlon. The wet shot hit before Friday’s sprint, but he didn’t find out about it until the evening. COACH: Siegfried Mazet in conversation with Sweden’s shooting coach Jean-Marc Chabloz. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news – We have the WC here next year. It is very important to be honest here, says the coach and continues: – Last night I was very annoyed by the situation. It is very serious for us. We have made a big mistake. I was also annoyed because I wasn’t informed right away when it happened. – The biggest fear as a biathlete After the accident, the Norwegian team had a meeting. There they talked about why it happened and how they can ensure it never happens again. – It is very important to be transparent about gun safety. We deal with this every day and are always very careful about safety. We athletes ourselves know what kind of shot we shoot with and what the potential consequences can be, says Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold. She describes it as a wake-up call for her and the rest of the biathlon community. Now she wants to support Lægreid in a difficult time and give him a good hug. – It is the biggest fear as a biathlete, that a shot should go off when it is not planned. It probably puts a “shock” in him. THE PERFORMER HOTEL: This is where the fatal shot was fired. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news Critical Swedes The Swedish biathlon sisters Hanna and Elvira Öberg heard about the shooting today, and say that they have never come close to experiencing anything like this before. – I was put out. These are serious matters, we are dealing with weapons. There is a risk associated with handling weapons incorrectly, says Elvira Öberg. – What do you think about the fact that they got the ammunition up in the hotel? – In any case, it shouldn’t happen. It must be a wake-up call for many. It’s easy to over-dramatise a bit when you spend as much time with weapons as we do, but you can’t be sloppy with your routines, says the Swede. SWEDISH STAR: Elvira Öberg. Photo: NTB The Norwegian athletes are usually given the ammunition at the stadium. This time they got it at the hotel. The Swedes didn’t get that. – We have never received ammunition at the hotel. I fill my magazines at the stand, and I feel confident about that, says Öberg. Sports director Per Arne Botnan in the Norwegian Ski Association says that they will never release the shots outside the stadium again. – Whether that is a contributing factor, I do not know. At least we have said it now, that from now on they will get start numbers in the booth and ammunition at the stands, he asserts.
ttn-69
Juni Arnekleiv heard the gunshot from the dining hall – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
