Swedish ski stars Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson appeared on the Swedish talk show 'Skavlan & Sverigen' shortly after the Olympic Games. During the show, Andersson was confronted with a questionable question regarding Karlsson, which asked if she felt happy that Karlsson had to miss the final race due to illness. This inquiry was not well-received, prompting Andersson, who had won the race with a significant lead, to describe it as 'idiotic' in an interview with Expressen.

Andersson dominated the competition, finishing over two minutes ahead of the second-place Heidi Weng. The show’s host, Fredrik Skavlan, apologized for the question, which he found inappropriate, especially given Karlsson's status as the favorite for the 50km race that she had to skip. Andersson's response highlighted the harsh realities athletes face in the public eye, where their personal struggles can become fodder for sensational questioning.

In the aftermath of the Olympics, Andersson brought home a gold medal, along with three silver medals, making her achievements quite remarkable amidst the backdrop of questioning her co-competitor's absence from the event. The controversy raises important discussions about how the media handles athletes' well-being and the ethics of questioning them about sensitive topics, such as illness and competition performance.