Björgen reveals doping drama: ‘Swelling in the stomach’

The Norwegian describes the drama in “The Winner’s Heart: The Marit Björgen Story,” co-written with journalist Ingrid Stenfold and due out on Tuesday.

Björgen had just come home from the 2017 World Cup – where she had taken four gold medals – when she received a shock message from national team doctor Peter Olberg that the Finnish doping lab had found a deviation in a test three miles away.

– It was perfectly fine to receive that phone call, she tells VG.

– I have big swelling in my stomach. She’s gone through it with Martin (Joonsrud Sundby) and Therese (Juhaug) and thought it wasn’t possible.

‘hard to sleep’

The Norwegian urine sample contained traces of 19-norandrosterone. The national team doctor told Bjorgen to take it easy anyway because the rash could have something to do with her using Primolut-N, which is used to alter the menstrual cycle.

Björgen still couldn’t let go of the idea.

– Tears fell and it was hard to sleep, and it was hard to relax the next day too, she told NRK.

The exhalation took two weeks. By that time, the International Skating Federation (Fis) had come to the conclusion that their interpretation was consistent with results in the doping lab.

Clip: Ebba Anderson: “I can’t even call them friends” (October 7, 2021)