Norway's Olympic beach volleyball champion Anders Mol underwent surgery after suffering a broken bone in his lower leg and will be sidelined for several weeks, affecting his preparations for the Paris Games, he said on Friday.

The 26-year-old, who won gold in the men's beach volleyball along with team mate Christian Sorum in Tokyo in 2021, told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK that he suffered the fracture at a training camp in Tenerife earlier in the week.

"I have a (internal) splint that I will feel a bit when I play in the future. I'll see how it goes," Mol said, adding that it would not be removed before the Olympics.

Mol, who is set to play alongside Sorum again at the Paris Games, will spend a minimum of six weeks on the sidelines, missing crucial Olympic preparation time.

"Now I feel we are even more outsiders to win in Paris," Mol said.

The beach volleyball events for the Paris Olympics are scheduled to take place between July 27 - Aug. 10, with the venue situated at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. REUTERS