On Sunday, on the last day of the Winter Olympics, Ebba Andersson took gold in the 50-kilometre race in Val di Fiemme, Italy. The race was prompted by a chaotic situation where several Swedish skiers had been sent home and some prospective skiers subsequently became ill. Linn Svahn, Olympic gold medalist in sprint and Olympic silver medalist in relay, was initially selected to run the 50-kilometre race, but then became ill and was sent home along with Moa Ilar and Maja Dahlqvist, among others.
After that, several of the selected 50-kilometre runners fell ill on site in Italy - at the same time there were no reserves left in Italy. It ended up that only Ebba Andersson and Emma Ribom represented Sweden in the 50-kilometre - and three Swedish starting spots remained empty.
Wants to comment
There was a lot that happened around that situation. I wanted to do the 50-kilometre race and had been given the go-ahead to do it. Then I was dropped. Then I had no spot and so I went home and prepared for this, the 26-year-old tells Viaplay after winning Saturday's World Cup sprint in Falun and continues:
It's something we'll have to deal with after the season because I don't think it should happen that way.
National team manager Anders Byström has spoken with Linn Svahn about the Olympic situation, most recently in connection with this week's World Cup competitions in Falun.
The boss has learned
She was ready to run the 50-kilometre race before she became ill. Then she became ill and we were unsure how she would manage after the illness. It's true that we had thought so at first, but then circumstances changed, Byström tells Viaplay and continues:
It's always a bit of a mess like that: when you've finished something and then things change with illness. I understand that she might be disappointed about that. We've talked about it and I hope it's okay.
Byström admits that lessons have been learned from the situation.
Maybe just take it a little easier on those occasions and wait to make final decisions.
