The last few days have been unlike anything Gabriel Gledhill has ever experienced.
The British skier told TV 2 following the attention he’s received after Saturday’s 50km World Cup race in Holmenkollen.
After a fall and two broken poles, Gledhill found himself alone on the course.
He then decided to join in the festivities, accepting beers from spectators.
“I may have had seven beers,” he said in an interview with TV 2, before admitting he was a little intoxicated.
Took Action
Gledhill now says the incident wasn’t planned.
“Everyone knows what the atmosphere is like in Holmenkollen. I made a choice, which I now want to apologize for.”
On Thursday, the 23-year-old issued a statement on Instagram:
“The behavior does not reflect the standards I have for myself, nor the values of the team and country I represent.
I take full responsibility for and apologize for any negative impact this has had.”
Inboxes Overflowing
Reactions have been pouring in since the race.
“I’ve received hundreds of messages from around the world. Scandinavians are more understanding and positive.”
“But from other countries like Russia and Italy, it’s more mixed. Some people think it was dangerous, for example. I want to emphasize that I take cross-country skiing incredibly seriously,” Gledhill said.
“What do you think about the negative reactions?”
“I wasn’t the first and won’t be the last to have a beer in Holmenkollen. What I want now is to apologize for all the fuss,” the Brit replied.
“The race was actually going very well, before I broke my poles. I wanted to provide something back to the fans.”
This isn’t the first time the Brit has stood out:
The story has even reached major newspapers such as the British The Sun, Spanish AS and The Times of India.
Gledhill is frustrated by articles that take the story out of context.
“When the headline is just ‘drunk skier,’ without an explanation of the atmosphere and the history of the race, I must clearly apologize.”
The 23-year-old is part of the British cross-country skiing team and competes for the international all-round team, Team Aker Dæhlie.
“There are people who support the team and our nation. I don’t want us to be seen as unprofessional now, because of what I did.”
After five years in Lillehammer, Gledhill has been denied a residence permit in Norway, as NRK previously reported.
