Sivert Bakken’s family and the federation commission a law firm to oversee the case of his death

The family of Norwegian biathlete Sivert Guttorm Bakken, found dead last Tuesday in a hotel in Italy, and the Norwegian Biathlon Federation have appointed a law firm to oversee the case until it is clarified.

Lawyer Bernt Heiberg told TV2 that this is a normal mandate and that they will act “as a liaison between the Italian authorities and the bereaved family” and that they will “help with the practical arrangements for the transport of the deceased to Norway”, stressing that there was no basis to assume that “a criminal offense” had been committed.

Bakken, 27, was found dead in his hotel room earlier this week in the Italian Alpine town of Lavazè, where he was for a training camp. The Norwegian federation confirmed on Wednesday that the athlete was wearing a face mask used for altitude training when he was found.

In this sense, Heiberg confirmed that his colleague Oline Bredeli was in Italy to monitor events. Preliminary autopsy results are expected early next week.

The biathlete was once considered one of Norway’s brightest promises and in 2022, in his World Cup debut, he achieved his first victory. Shortly after, however, his career was cut short by a serious health setback when he was diagnosed with myocarditis, a heart condition. He returned to competition in the 2024-2025 season in the IBU Cup and rejoined the World Cup team himself, recording multiple top-10 finishes, including fifth place in the Sprint event last week in Le Grand-Bornand, France.