Viral Wardrobe Malfunction Video Misidentified: It's Suzanne Schulting, Not Jutta Leerdam
A viral video circulating online that purportedly shows Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam suffering a wardrobe malfunction at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics has been confirmed as false. The clip does not feature Leerdam at all and the incident did not occur during the Olympic Games.
Origin of the False Claim
The confusion emerged shortly after Jutta Leerdam's historic gold medal victory at the 2026 Winter Olympics. An X account, @nexta_tv, shared the crash video with the caption: "Speed skating went massively viral at the 2026 Winter Olympics - all thanks to Dutch athlete Jutta Leerdam." The post quickly gained traction across social media platforms, leading to widespread misinformation.
However, according to verified reports from NU.nl, the incident captured in the viral footage actually took place in December 2025 during an ISU Speed Skating World Cup event in Hamar, Norway. The skater involved was fellow Dutch athlete Suzanne Schulting, not Jutta Leerdam.
The Actual Incident: Suzanne Schulting's Crash
Suzanne Schulting was competing in the 500-meter event when she lost her balance and crashed violently on the ice. During the fall, her skating suit tore above her hip area, creating the appearance of a wardrobe malfunction.
After the race, Schulting spoke candidly to NU.nl about the experience. "I felt good and was really looking forward to it. But it turned out to be a terrible evening," she stated. "I have not watched the footage yet, but it is possible I caught myself. Physically, I am fine; I just have a scrape on my hip. But it is obviously very frustrating."
Regarding the torn suit, Schulting added: "I did not notice it at first. After the race, I covered it up immediately, but as a woman, that is obviously not nice. It makes this evening even more awkward." Despite the embarrassing incident and physical setback, Schulting demonstrated remarkable resilience by getting up and completing the race.
Jutta Leerdam's Actual Olympic Triumph
While the old crash video was spreading misinformation online, Jutta Leerdam was making Olympic history in Italy. The 27-year-old Dutch speed skater won the women's 1000-meter race at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with an impressive time of 1:12.31. Her performance was so dominant that she beat the newly set Olympic record established by her fellow Dutch skater Femke Kok.
The emotional aftermath of Leerdam's victory captured significant attention, particularly the reaction of her partner, social media influencer and boxer Jake Paul. Immediately following the race, Paul was seen weeping tears of joy in the stands. He later shared multiple posts on Instagram celebrating Leerdam's achievement.
In one video, Paul lifted Leerdam while she wore her gold medal and kissed her, captioning the moment: "we just witnessed one of the most important sporting moments ever. the doc will tell. words cant describe how proud of you i am. @juttaleerdam." In another post featuring photographs from the celebration, he wrote: "Still ugly crying over this, you're unreal."
Clarifying the Facts
To summarize the accurate information:
- The viral wardrobe malfunction video does NOT feature Jutta Leerdam
- The incident did NOT occur at the 2026 Winter Olympics
- The video shows Suzanne Schulting crashing during a World Cup event in Norway
- The actual incident happened in December 2025, months before the Olympics
- Jutta Leerdam was simultaneously winning Olympic gold in Italy
This case highlights how quickly misinformation can spread on social media, particularly when it involves high-profile athletes during major sporting events. The confusion was compounded by Leerdam's actual Olympic success occurring at the same time the false video was circulating.
