Olaf Tufte’s sudden death spurs push for targeted heart screening of Norwegian elite athletes

Norwegian rowing legend Olaf Tufte died of an acute cardiac arrest on 21 July at the age of 50. His family is awaiting the final autopsy report. Cardiologists say sudden heart stoppage can be the first sign of an underlying disease that may be undetected in seemingly healthy people.

In response, leading Norwegian heart specialists have called for a more targeted cardiac‑screening programme for elite athletes. The recommendation, published by a group of eleven cardiologists on behalf of the Norwegian Cardiological Society, draws on the experience of Italy, whose nationwide screening of competitive athletes reduced sudden‑death rates by about 89 percent. Experts such as Charlotte Björk Ingul of Aleris and Professor Torbjørn Omland of the University of Oslo stressed the need for systematic checks, citing previous athlete deaths like swimmers Alexander Dale Oen and skier Ida Eide and the 2021 incident involving footballer Christian Eriksen.