The Norwegian cross-country skiing team has made the difficult decision to send Kristine Stavås Skistad home from the Olympic Games, as reported by Norway's TV2. The team's manager, Per Elias Kalfoss, did not clarify whether the initiative for this decision came from the team leadership or the athlete herself. However, he did indicate that the decision was reached after discussions among team members, highlighting the collaborative nature of the choice.

Kalfoss mentioned that he spoke with Skistad the morning before her departure, noting that she appeared relieved by the decision. Despite her previous success—winning a silver medal in the sprint event at last year's World Championships in Trondheim—her performance in the qualifying sprint for the Milan-Cortina Games was not satisfactory, securing only a fifth-place finish. This decline in performance may have contributed to the team’s decision to send her home rather than allow her to remain and await potential selection for upcoming events.

As the women's cross-country skiing team prepares for their next event, a 4x7.5 kilometer relay scheduled for Saturday, Sweden is favored to win. Meanwhile, Norway is considered the strongest contender for the silver medal. This situation raises questions about athlete well-being and the pressures of competition at the Olympic level, especially when previous successes do not align with current performance expectations.