Finnish Olympic champion Iivo Niskanen undergoes surgery for rare skin cancer on foot

Medical discovery and surgical treatment

Finnish cross-country skier Iivo Niskanen announced that he underwent two surgical operations following the diagnosis of a rare form of skin cancer. The Finnish Ski Association and the 34-year-old athlete released a joint statement on Saturday, 3 October, detailing the discovery of an acral melanoma on the sole of his foot. The lesion was initially detected during a routine summer screening of his moles, after which a dermatologist advised the excision of the suspicious mark for further examination.

Subsequent pathology tests confirmed the presence of acral melanoma, requiring an immediate second operation to guarantee sufficient surgical margins from healthy tissue. Because early screening identified the malignancy before it expanded beyond the outermost skin layer, the cancer did not spread into surrounding tissue. The successful removal of the local lesion allowed the athlete to conclude his medical treatments without further invasive interventions.

Impact on preparation and family life

The medical intervention forced the Oulu-born skier to alter his summer schedule and miss training camps with the Finnish national team. Niskanen noted that the wait for laboratory results created substantial stress, particularly because the surgical procedures affected his foot, which serves as the physical foundation for cross-country competition.

Despite the disrupted summer, Niskanen and his wife Saana welcomed their third child in September. The three-time Olympic champion explained that his physical recovery progressed steadily at home, allowing him to rest and spend time with his newborn between structured training sessions as his condition improved.

National team plans and season return

Finnish national team head coach Joakim Abrahamsson outlined an adaptive training approach to support Niskanen's gradual return to the elite squad. The coaching staff plans to reintegrate the skier into national team training camps in November, preparing for the start of the winter competitive season on 27 November in Finland.

We see good progress and above all a strong will to look forward. We will continue to take it step by step and adapt the process in whatever way is best for Iivo and his family.

Niskanen previously competed at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, where he recorded a 17th-place finish in the 2x10-kilometre skiathlon. The coaching team continues to adjust training volumes to ensure he can compete with confidence as the international calendar resumes.

International competitive record

Niskanen has accumulated a substantial international record across more than a decade of elite skiing, sharing an athletic pedigree with his sister, Olympic medallist Kerttu Elina Niskanen. He won his first Olympic gold medal in the team sprint at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, followed by gold in the 50-kilometre mass start at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

At the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, Niskanen earned three separate medals, securing gold in the 15-kilometre classical race, silver in the team sprint, and bronze in the 30-kilometre skiathlon. In addition to his five Olympic medals, he captured the 15-kilometre world championship title in 2017.