Due to several female sports stars being forced to take time out because they had problems balancing diet, exercise and recovery, Per "Pliggen" Andersson, a doctor in the Swedish Olympic Committee and then a doctor in the Swedish cross-country team, went out and sounded the alarm about the culture of silence that exists around these issues.

- This is our biggest challenge in the endurance side now.

Especially among girls.

There is also a culture of silence here, which is devastating, he told TT in mid-September.

The length national team's women's coach Stefan Thomson does not share that picture.

- I do not think you have to close your eyes because in endurance sports there is a requirement picture also physically.

But we have no culture of silence, I think we work incredibly openly.

On the contrary, it is a more open culture now than we were before.

Actively working towards a culture of silence

Thomson says that the national team works actively for the riders to talk openly about issues related to health.

- It is our ambition, it is very important.

And just as we can talk training with the riders, we should also be able to talk about issues like this with the riders.

I think that the riders feel safe with our ambition and it is also the signals we get from the riders, that they feel safe in these issues and can talk openly about them.

The national team recently returned from Val Senales where they have been at high altitude camp.

Then a dietitian was on site during the two weeks of the camp.

- As I said, we work to develop these pieces.

Now we had a dietitian with us at the camp in. It is important that the skiers are always close to knowledge, says Thomson.