After the end of the competitions and before saying goodbye to the Olympic Games in Beijing, the biathletes of the Norwegian federation let it rip at a joint closing party. It was celebrated exuberantly – until the mood suddenly changed.
A prank by the technicians from the Norwegian Noko team put the biathletes on the slippery slope at their private Olympic graduation ceremony. “If there’s a prize for the prank of the year, then they deserve it,” said Olympic relay champion Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, praising the campaign, which raised blood pressure in some stars. What happened?
“The party was like a party should be,” Christiansen reported to the TV channel “TV2” about the celebrations in the Norwegian team hotel. “I didn’t sleep much,” revealed the 29-year-old that the team and coaches really let it rip.
In the middle of the evening, however, the party was suddenly broken up by unexpected guests. Three men in official Covid control suits entered the hotel room. “They then held up a mobile phone with the message: Tarjei Bö has tested positive for the new corona virus. Total panic broke out for me,” Christiansen said the day after.
On the other hand, others present were much more relaxed because they immediately recognized that there were no Chinese inspectors under the suits, but technicians from the Noko team. “They exchanged their Norwegian hats for the suits and then came into the room with glasses and a face mask.”
“I completely panicked because Tiril [Eckhoff] and marte [Olsbu Roiseland] put on their masks as soon as they entered the room. It was a very successful joke,” said Christiansen.
“I immediately thought that we have to stay longer in China”
Johannes Thingnes Bö also paid tribute to the pranksters and said: “There was a bit of panic and a lot of laughter. Vetle was really scared and whispered to me that Tarjei had Covid. But I saw immediately who was hiding behind the mask. So I sat back and enjoyed the moment.”
Tiril Eckhoff was also able to laugh about the joke afterwards. However, the moment the supposed inspectors entered the room, she didn’t feel like laughing: “I bought it from them and immediately put on a mask. I immediately thought that we would have to stay in China longer.”