Biathlonist Johan-Olav Botn says that he found Sivert Bakken dead.
Johan-Olav Botn says that he was shocked in a shocking situation. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS
Norwegian biathlete Johan-Olav Botn got into a shocking situation.
Botn says he found his teammate Sivert Bakken dead in Italy.
Botn talks about his experience to the Norwegian TV2for.
– I was completely shocked and panicked. The first person in such a situation to try to help, Botn describes.
The 26-year-old athlete says that he tried to call the emergency center, but could not be contacted. Then he ran to get help.
Botn immediately realized that his friend was dead. Still, the sight felt unreal.
– I saw that his face was completely expressionless and pale. I realized he was dead, says Botn.
– I was in a state of shock, where I don’t feel anything, but I try to help. It wasn’t until the ambulance arrived that I realized what had happened.
“Unfortunately I have heard”
27-year-old Bakken was found dead in Lavazè, Italy on Tuesday, December 23.
At the time of discovery, Bakken was wearing a training mask, which is used to limit oxygen intake.
The mask simulates high altitude training. It was adjusted to correspond to an altitude of 7,000 meters above sea level.
Botn commented on the discussion about the mask.
– Unfortunately, I have heard all kinds of speculation, Botn says.
– I would hope that people would respect the relatives, avoid speculation and wait to draw conclusions until the investigation has been completed.
The investigation into Bakken’s death is ongoing.
The matter has also been reported by, among others, the Swedish public broadcasting company SVT and Swedish Expressen.
Johan-Olav Botn, Sivert Bakken and Sweden’s Sebastian Samuelsson were photographed in Le Grand-Bornand, France, in December. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS