Exciting Changes for Top Biathletes Amid Controversy

New Biathlon Rule Sparks Debate

A new regulation in the biathlon community is generating significant buzz: the top athletes will now start later than before in individual races for the upcoming season. This shift has already prompted vocal reactions from affected competitors.

As per the announcement from the International Biathlon Union (IBU), the leading 15 athletes in the overall World Cup standings will begin their races with bib numbers ranging from 46 to 75 during sprint and individual events. Previously, these elite competitors could select their start positions, often choosing lower numbers to mitigate concerns about track conditions.

The IBU’s aim with this update is clear: to prevent early decisions in races, which has been a recurring theme in past events. The union claims that this adjustment will lead to “exciting competitions until the very end.” Additionally, athletes ranking outside the top 30 in the World Cup standings will have the privilege of opening the races. This decision came after extensive discussions involving the IBU’s Technical Committee, the athletes’ commission, and various national federations.

Nonetheless, some athletes have begun to voice their opposition to these new regulations. Swedish biathlete Sebastian Samuelsson expressed his discontent in a statement to Aftonbladet, saying, "We don’t want any change," while the newspaper noted that many feel overwhelmed by the federation’s decisions.

Trial Period at World Cup in November and December

This new rule will undergo a trial phase during the four World Cup weekends scheduled for November and December. Following these events, the IBU will evaluate the feedback and outcomes to determine whether the changes will be permanent. It’s also worth noting that in severe weather conditions, the competition jury may decide to allow the top 15 athletes to start at the beginning of the race to prevent any disadvantage.

With contributions from the Sports Information Service (SID).