Six riders ended up clean inside and out at a Norwegian mountain bike event on Friday August 29 after drinking laundry detergent that they mistook for energy drink.
Organisers of the FredagsBirken long-distance mountain bike race in Rena near Oslo were handing out samples of Omo Activ & Sport liquid detergent, but hadn't anticipated riders would mistake it for sport nutrition.
"Eighty percent of our participants are married men," event boss Jo Gunnar Ellevold told E24.no. "From this we can conclude that married men would not know what Omo is."
The riders who mistakenly drank the detergent were treated with copious fluids at A & E in Rena. The organisation checked with Norway's Poisoning Information Centre to find out if there was likely to be anything toxic in the detergent.
Ellevold said: "We were informed that it is not dangerous to one’s health to drink around a decilitre of detergent. It produces some foam and it is natural that one will experience some discomfort for a time after drinking it."
Ingunn Rønningen Kleven from the event organisation told Norwegian news agency NTB: “Since this clothes washing detergent is especially developed for training clothes, we thought it would be relevant to give it to our contestants. They could use it to wash their clothes after the event.
"We have never experienced anything like this before. But usually we hand out samples of mackerel in tomato and the like; that might be a little safer."
The event organiser has handed out sample bottles of Omo before without a problem, but in the light of this incident, the bottle design might have to be changed.
Anne Gjemdal, head of information at Omo manufacturer Lilleborg, told NTB: “We thought it was obvious from the label that it is a detergent, but considering what has happened, we will re-evaluate if the labelling is good enough.The product is labelled according to strict regulations.”
Gjemdal added: “We are deeply sorry that people have mistakenly thought Omo was a sports drink. We hope those affected [by the misunderstanding] are well taken care of.”
After initial reports of riders drinking the detergent samples, organisers added a large notice in the sign-up area telling riders not to drink it.
At least we can be sure they were riding clean.
31 thoughts on “Six riders hospitalised after mistaking detergent for energy drink”
Eighty percent of our
100% of dogs have 4 legs. 100% of cats have 4 legs. From this we can conclude that all dogs are also cats.
Funny story though :))
portec wrote:100% of dogs
Not true, an average dog has 3.99 legs. Therefore all 4 legged dogs are cats and all 3 legged dogs are tripod invaders from Mars.
bikeboy76 wrote:portec
I’m always happy to think that I personally have an above-average number of legs.
Shame, hopefully they’re
Shame, hopefully they’re going to be ok. They won’t live it down with their mates
Adds a whole new meaning to
Adds a whole new meaning to ‘clean’ rider doesn’t it =))
What?….are you serious –
What?….are you serious – how funny.
Headline should have been…”RIDERS ARE CLEAN AFTER SWALLOWING SOME OMO!”
……., it is the first of September and not April isn’t it?
“But usually we hand out
“But usually we hand out samples of mackerel in tomato and the like…”
I’d rather drink detergent. :&
If this was marketed
If this was marketed correctly it could be an energy drink and saddle soap in one!
New masking agent discovered,
New masking agent discovered, removes all traces of drugs and stains on character….
…. but was there a
…. but was there a performance advantage??
Note sure that OMO is on the banned substances list…
Must be Mad wrote:…. but
Perhaps the bubbles make you lighter…
Him Up North wrote:Must be
They may provide unexpected propulsion! <:P
Must be Mad wrote:…. but
I believe it increases your power to white ratio.
(Sorry!)
how absolutely ridiculous
how absolutely ridiculous
Similar thing happened to a
Similar thing happened to a bloke at the club,
he drank a sample of varnish, had a terrible end but what a lovely finish!!
funny, but you can see how it
funny, but you can see how it might happen… you stagger pass the finish line – tired, hungry and thirsty. Someone hands you a bright coloured bottle of something. you drink it.
The event I did this weekend was sponsored by Erdinger, an alcohol-free Bavarian beer. But here’s the beauty of it, they market it as an Isotonic Recovery Drink – absolute genius!
https://www.facebook.com/ErdingerAlkoholfreiUK
dafyddp wrote:funny, but you
Erdinger’s primary product is a 5% ABV weissbier, they also do a great full flavour brown or Dunkle bier, delicious stuff! t The 0,0% is used quite a lot on the cycle sponsor circuit but is no way their main item, just fyi.
dafyddp wrote:funny, but you
I love this stuff, there’s nothing better after a long ride than a great meal with a big bottle of it! I do wonder if the process of adding the salts etc that you find in isotonic drinks was necessary anyway to get the correct taste in alcohol-free form. Whatever – as you say, marketing genius!
Perhaps it should have been
Perhaps it should have been called ‘OH NO’ 😀
How stupid are these chaps!
How stupid are these chaps! Were they trying to get a mass ‘Darwin Award’
This is priceless. They are
This is priceless. They are gonna get so much grief. =)) Did someone mention what spin cycle?!
“From this we can conclude
“From this we can conclude that married men would not know what Omo is.”
I reckon that there’s a fair few married men who know exactly what a box of OMO left on the window ledge means, and a fair few married women who could tell you exactly why they left it there 👿
Labrat wrote:”From this we
I have a little packet on the back shelf of my car here in Dubai…..not had any takers yet :S But then I’m always on my own so the trollies know that it’s a ruse :))
OMO hmm
OMO hmm
Clearly they put the
Clearly they put the detergent on the wrong cycle
Probably better for them than
Probably better for them than the many guys who drank degreaser from one of the Dragon Ride goody bags, back when the feed stops used to run out of food and water.
What were the symptoms,
What were the symptoms, foaming at the mouth?
How I imagine the
How I imagine the distribution of those samples went….
I do all the laundry in our
I do all the laundry in our house – which means I get to dodge the ironing :))
hairyairey wrote: I do all
So that’s why the BF is so keen to get laundry in the washing machine… IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW….. I just though I’d been lucky enough to find an amazing man!
Vacant.
Vacant.