After two Winter Olympics in Asia, the most recent without an audience during the pandemic, Olympic participants are longing for loved ones to be able to follow them in person.
It hasn't been easy or cheap to get tickets. Jesper Nelin bought tickets for his family even before he was selected for the Olympics so as not to be left without tickets.
"It was tricky; you had to buy them in time and hope to be selected," says the biathlete.
Pregnant partner driving a car
His partner Sandra Abremark is pregnant and therefore does not fly to Antholz.
"She will drive down with my mother," says Nelin, who hopes that the baby, expected to be born on March 30, will not arrive too early.
"It feels like the Olympics should be pretty calm anyway."
National team colleague Sebastian Samuelsson's partner Linnéa Karlsson and daughter Elsa, 2, will also go to Italy.
"The family will be in the region throughout the Olympics. They will be there cheering and watching the competitions, and hopefully I will get a chance to have a coffee, take a walk or meet them outdoors," says Samuelsson.
Risk of infection
Olympic participants are not allowed to meet their families in any way during the Olympics - mainly because of the risk of infection.
"It is limited, and there are risks of infection and other factors that mean you can't be seen. But there is a huge difference between cross-country skiing and hockey, for example," says Fredrik Joulamo, sports director at the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK).
"In general, it's about creating the best possible performance environment, and it can be very different. You may have a great need or little need to have contact, but there are also different ways to have contact with your family. This is the same for everyone."
Sebastian Samuelsson will have been away from his family for almost five weeks when the Olympics begin, due to the competitions in January and then the Olympic camp.
"The Olympics are held every four years. You have to fight for these weeks."
2026: Milan-Cortina, Italy.
2022: Beijing, China.
2018: Pyeongchang, South Korea.
2014: Sochi, Russia.
2010: Vancouver, Canada.
2006: Turin, Italy.
