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  "path": "/sport/winter-olympics/winter-olympics-dog",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-18T11:43:08.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Benfica suggest Real Madrid players are LYING in racism row as club share new footage of incident",
    "Tyson Fury announces risky decision as British boxing icon prepares for first fight in 17 months",
    "Micah Richards brands Benfica player a 'coward' after alleged racism incident involving Vinicius Jr",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nA Czech wolfhound named Nazgul brought an unexpected interruption to the Winter Olympics in Italy on Wednesday morning after escaping from his home and making his way onto the cross-country skiing course.\n\nThe two-year-old canine, whose name derives from the ringwraiths in The Lord of the Rings, appeared during the women's team cross country qualifiers in Tesero.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nFootage captured the wolf-like dog initially drawn to cameras before spotting competitors on the track.\n\nThe hound then pursued skiers from Croatia and Greece as they approached the finish line, providing considerable amusement for spectators gathered at the venue.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nReactions from competitors varied considerably following the unusual incident.\n\nSwedish skier Jonna Sundling, who topped the qualifying standings, offered a warm response as she passed through the press zone: \"It was cute.\"\n\nHer Norwegian rival Astrid Oyre Slind, finishing fifth, took the opportunity for some light-hearted banter: \"A dog is my least problem, a Swede is my biggest.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nNot all athletes shared such relaxed views about the canine intruder.\n\nArgentina's Nahiara Gonzalez Diaz expressed bewilderment: \"I thought: What on earth is a dog doing here?\"\n\nGreek competitor Konstantina Charalampido, who came last in the qualifiers, admitted she had initially believed the animal was a wolf, given its striking appearance.\n\n### LATEST SPORTS NEWS:\n\n\n\n\n  * Benfica suggest Real Madrid players are LYING in racism row as club share new footage of incident\n  * Tyson Fury announces risky decision as British boxing icon prepares for first fight in 17 months\n  * Micah Richards brands Benfica player a 'coward' after alleged racism incident involving Vinicius Jr\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nNazgul's owner came forward after the race to explain what had happened, speaking to Norwegian outlet VG.\n\n\"He just disappeared, ran away from home. He is a very kind dog. Very stubborn, very sweet and very social. He always seeks contact with people. He doesn't hurt people,\" the owner said.\n\nDespite the entertaining nature of the incident for many onlookers, cross-country skiing expert Fredrik Aukland offered a more sobering assessment.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHe warned that the dog's interference \"could have been a disaster\", highlighting the potential dangers of an animal running loose on an Olympic course where athletes travel at considerable speeds.\n\nNazgul's appearance was not an isolated canine incident at this year's Games.\n\nDogs have become something of a recurring feature throughout the tournament in Italy.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nOne pooch was spotted sitting among spectators at the figure skating, dressed in a Team USA jersey.\n\nEarlier in the week, another dog captured widespread attention online after wandering onto the downhill ski course.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nVideo footage showed the playful animal slipping and sliding across the icy surface while evading attempts to catch it, eventually covering a substantial portion of the race route.\n\nBoth athletes and crowd members were photographed grinning broadly as they watched the impromptu performance unfold.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Winter Olympics athletes left divided after dog runs away from home to cause chaos during race"
}