Norwegian heart specialists call for stricter cardiac screening of athletes

Norwegian heart specialists are pushing for more targeted cardiac screening of elite athletes, following decades of Italian data showing an 89% drop in sudden cardiac deaths among young competitors after mandatory checks were introduced.

The call comes after the death of rowing legend Olaf Tufte, 50, from acute cardiac arrest on 21 July. Norway has previously seen high-profile cases, including the deaths of swimmer Alexander Dale Oen and cross-country skier Ida Eide, while footballer Christian Eriksen collapsed and was revived during Euro 2020.

A 2025 commentary in the Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association, signed by 11 specialists from the Norwegian Cardiological Society, recommended a unified screening model for athletes at higher risk. The proposal draws on Italy’s national programme, launched in 1982, which reduced sudden cardiac deaths from 3.6 to 0.4 per 100,000 athlete-years in the Veneto region.

Charlotte Björk Ingul, a cardiologist at Aleris and associate professor at NTNU, said the recommendation was based on research, international guidelines, and experiences from multiple countries. “We’re not suggesting screening for everyone in sport, but for high-risk groups like elite athletes, who subject their hearts to prolonged, intense strain,” she told Dagbladet.

Most European countries already screen athletes, a practice endorsed by the European Society of Cardiology, IOC, FIFA, and UEFA. Sweden has screened elite athletes since 2005.

Olympiatoppen, Norway’s elite sports body, offers health checks to Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, including family history reviews, physical exams, and ECGs, repeated every four to five years. Hilde Moseby Berge, a physician at Olympiatoppen, stressed the need for rapid specialist assessment if athletes develop symptoms or have a family history of serious heart disease.

In top-flight football, clubs like Molde FK follow NFF and UEFA requirements, conducting annual medical exams. New senior team signings undergo ECG and cardiac ultrasound before joining. The club also keeps defibrillators accessible and trains staff in CPR.

Thor Edvardsen, a cardiology professor at Oslo University Hospital, said current screening practices vary and called for a standardised national model.