Swedes Take Action After Illness Chaos

Swedish National Team Responds to Illness Chaos

The Swedish national cross-country skiing team finds it necessary to change its routines after several athletes had to withdraw from competitions due to illness. This season, a total of ten Swedish athletes had to skip races on short notice, primarily due to sickness.

Team chief Anders Byström emphasized the need to further tighten protocols that have already been implemented, which include wearing masks and maintaining hand hygiene. "We clearly must step up our routines," he stated to Expressen.

Two notable athletes, Johanna Hagström and Jonna Sundling, missed a recent World Cup event in Davos.

Byström pointed to the World Cup event in Lillehammer as a potential source of the illness outbreak, where the Swedish team stayed in a large hotel complex with other national teams. "It's easy to view it as a melting pot for illnesses. We can't change the past, but looking forward, we will be meticulous about our accommodation choices to stay as isolated as possible from potential illnesses."

The World Cup continues with the Tour de Ski in Italy, starting on December 28th.