During the Milan-Cortina Olympics, Sweden's women's cross-country relay team experienced a heartbreaking turn of events when they lost what seemed to be a guaranteed gold medal to Norway due to a mishap involving leading skier Ebba Andersson. While skiing in the lead, Andersson's ski binding broke after a tumble, forcing her to ski about 200 meters while carrying her ski before receiving a backup. Ultimately, Sweden settled for silver, while Finland took bronze. This unexpected incident spurred the Swedish team management to seek improvements to prevent similar situations in the future.

According to Anders Byström, the head coach of the Swedish national team, the major issue stemmed from a lack of coaching area in a challenging section of the course. With no coaches present to assist during crucial moments, the team could not effectively support Andersson through the problem she encountered. This realization prompted a reconsideration of the team support and coaching structure during the relay events.

As a result of the public outcry and discussions surrounding the incident, changes in team management and operational protocols are likely to be implemented moving forward. The goal is to ensure that athletes receive timely help, particularly in high-stakes situations during competition, maintaining Sweden's strong reputation in Olympic skiing despite the setback. This case underlines the importance of having adequate support systems in place for athletes during critical moments in their events.