NPR Removes Reference to 'Dog' in Olympic Story, Adds Details on Nazgul's Breed

In a recent edit to their article on a surprise Olympic competitor, NPR removed the word 'dog' and added more details about the animal's breed. The change replaces the original phrase 'A dog wanders on the ski trail' with 'Nazgul, a two-year-old Czechoslovakian wolfdog that wandered onto the cross-country race course.' This edit matters to readers as it provides more information about the animal's identity and characteristics, potentially giving context to the unusual event. The change suggests that NPR aimed to provide more specificity and accuracy in their reporting, although the original story's focus on the unexpected appearance of a four-legged competitor remains unchanged.

Related Changes

Surprise four-legged Olympic competitor wows cross-country fans +38 -37
Special Series 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Surprise 4-legged Olympic competitor wows cross-country fans February 18, 20265:50 AM ET By Nathaniel Herz
− A dog wanders on the ski trail during the women's team cross-country free sprint qualification event of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Lago di Tesero, Italy, on Wednesday. Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
+ Nazgul, a two-year-old Czechoslovakian wolfdog that wandered onto the cross-country race course in Tesero, Italy during Olympic competition Feb. 18, in an image captured by the official finish line camera for the event. Courtesy of Omega hide caption
LAGO DI TESERO, Italy — A local dog made a bid for Olympic glory Wednesday morning, breaking out of his doghouse and onto the homestretch of the cross-country ski course in the middle of a race. Two-year-old Nazgul was quickly collared by race officials and returned unharmed to his home at a nearby bed-and-breakfast, but not before his genial presence lit up television sets and social media channels around the world — even if he perplexed some of the athletes who encountered him. 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics The U.S. falters again in figure skating, but the women still have time to make it up "I was like, 'Am I hallucinating?" said Tena Hadzic, a 21-year-old Croatian skier who encountered the dog on her trip down the homestretch. "I don't know what I should do, because maybe he could attack me, bite me." A dog later identified as a local named Nazgul sprints across the snow at the Winter Games. Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images hide caption Race organizers did not make Nazgul available for questions after his capture. 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Meet Yolanda the wax truck, Team USA's unsung cross-country ski hero But his owners are related to an event official, who connected them with NPR for a brief interview while they were driving to watch an Olympic biathlon race at another venue. "He was crying this morning more than normal because he was seeing us leaving — and I think he just wanted to follow us," said the owner, who was granted anonymity because of the intense media scrutiny of Nazgul's escape. "He always looks for people." Nazgul is a "stubborn, but very sweet" Czechoslovakian wolfdog, the owner said. Nazgul's saunter down the homestretch didn't appear to have a significant impact on the cross-country team sprint: A preliminary qualifying round was unfolding at the time, and the top medal contenders had already finished. But Hadzic, the Croatian, said her initial reaction likely did cost her "some seconds." "It's not that big deal, because I'm not fighting for medals or anything big," she said. "But if that happened in the finals, it could really cost someone the medals, or a really good result." Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor