Norway men’s cross-country skiing team to the 2022 Olympics in Beijing must postpone their departure to China from the planned January 27 to January 31, after sprint coach Arild Monsen tested positive for Covid-19.

When Arild Monsen came to Norway from the Norwegian team’s high altitude training camp in Seiser Alm (ITA), he tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival at Gardermoen Airport (NOR).

All eight men in the Norwegian cross-country skiing squad for the Olympics in Beijing are considered to have had close contact with Monsen during the camp. Thus, they must postpone the departure to China from January 27 to January 31.

They will fly from Oslo with the second Norwegian charter flight to China, and the passengers will remain at altitude in Seiser Alm until the day before departure.

The background to the decision is that the national team needs to get a clear overview of the infection situation. As planned, the Norwegian Ski Federation held a media meeting with the women’s group yesterday, but today’s media meeting with the men was postponed.

Now, all cross-country skiers, both women and men are waiting for answers from yesterday’s PCR tests.

At the moment, it is not clear whether the women’s squad will also have to postpone their departure until January 31.