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Report: Hypoxic Mask Worn by Biathlete Sivert Bakken Set to 7,000 Meters

Norway's biathlon federation has suspended altitude-simulation gear after his death.

Overview

  • The federation told athletes on Christmas Eve to immediately stop using altitude‑mimicking equipment until further notice, officials told NRK.
  • Bakken, 27, was found dead in a hotel room in Lavazza, Italy, with a hypoxic mask on, the federation said on December 23.
  • VG reports the device was set to an altitude equivalent of 7,000 meters, a setting that delivers significantly reduced oxygen.
  • It remains unknown who set the device or whether settings were changed during efforts to resuscitate him, according to those reports.
  • A forensic examination to establish the cause of death has been ordered, with initial results expected early next week.