The world of skiing is in mourning as it was revealed that Anfisa Reztsova, a former Olympic gold medalist in both cross-country skiing and biathlon, has passed away at the age of 58.
Her ex-husband Leonid Reztsov confirmed the news to Russian news agency Tass.
Reztsova was in the intensive care unit and never regained consciousness before her death. The cause of death remains unknown.
A storied career
Reztsova made a significant impact on the international sports scene when she won a relay gold medal in cross-country skiing at the 1988 Olympics.
She also secured a silver medal in the 20-kilometer event.
Later, she switched to biathlon, where she found even greater success, winning Olympic gold in both the relay and individual sprint events.
Controversial statements
In recent years, Reztsova had been making headlines in Norway for criticizing Norwegian skiers. In 2020, she accused Tiril Eckhoff of doping.
She also criticized Norwegian athletes last winter for not wanting to compete with Russian and Belarusian athletes, calling them "disgusting cockroaches," according to Aftonbladet.
Watch an interview with Anfisa Reztsova below.
