Norwegian cross-country skier Karoline Simpson-Larsen received a hateful message in her inbox following her team’s gold medal performance in the Olympic relay, according to reporting by Norwegian broadcaster NRK. The message, sent by an anonymous individual, attacked Simpson-Larsen’s physique and questioned her athletic achievements.
“I don’t know you, but I wanted to write a few words to you. You are a person I have no faith in,” the message began. It continued, “I am so sick of unhealthy girls who do cross-country skiing and who become ‘good at skiing’ for a extremely short period with eating restriction as a starting point. Secure it together.” The sender concluded by stating, “Stop speaking about anything before you have become normally healthy, eat healthy and win ski races over time. I don’t actually think that time will come.”
Simpson-Larsen, who skied the third leg of the winning relay team, described the message as shocking, though she admitted it didn’t personally affect her. “I received a very nasty message that I just didn’t understand. But it was so nasty that I didn’t take it to heart at all. But the fact that people can write such things is just shocking,” she told NRK.
The incident is not isolated. Just days prior, Swedish sprinter Johanna Hagström was also subjected to online harassment following the Olympic sprint event. Hagström, visibly upset, told NRK she was overwhelmed not by her performance, but by the abusive messages she found on her phone. “It was tough to see, and completely wrong timing. I don’t understand why people write such things. They can think it, but they don’t require to write it,” she said.
Simpson-Larsen’s boyfriend, Johan-Olav Botn, who won a gold medal in biathlon earlier in the Games, publicly shared a screenshot of the message on the training app Strava, writing, “If anyone wonders what it’s like to be a female skier.” He later removed the post. Botn explained his decision to share the message, stating he was angered by the continued harassment Simpson-Larsen faces, particularly given her past struggles with public perception. He noted that despite her success, she continues to be labeled with accusations related to disordered eating, a narrative he finds “idiotic.”
Kristin Austgulen Fosnæs, a teammate of Simpson-Larsen’s who also competed on the gold-medal winning relay team, has also experienced online abuse. She previously received negative messages after a second-place finish in a World Championship relay last year. Fosnæs expressed her bewilderment at the behavior, stating, “I don’t understand why they do it. It’s not nice. Everyone learns when they’re young that you should be kind to each other. I hope everyone can be kind to each other. Then the world can be a good place. Amen.”
The incidents involving Simpson-Larsen, Hagström, and Fosnæs highlight a disturbing trend of online harassment targeting female athletes during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. NRK reported that a young Polish ski jumper also received threats following a disappointing result. The Norwegian Ski Association has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the incidents.
