“It is prohibited to expose others to danger.” New rules introduced ahead of biathlon season
Yulia Sidorova November 20, 2023, 12:15 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
The changes were prompted by a reckless act by a Belgian biathlete last winter.
The 2023/2024 Biathlon World Cup begins in a few days. And before the start of the new season, it is important to remember the rule changes that the International Biathlon Union adopted at the end of October.
According to the new regulations, the IBU protects the lives of athletes and also the environment. The changes are interesting, but some editions raise questions.
An article for the intrepid Belgian
At the beginning of 2023, Belgian biathlete Thierry Langer scared the entire stadium and fans at the shooting range on television. After the fall, his rifle was damaged and the guy decided to clean it up himself. First, he fired the gun, pointing the barrel directly at his face, and then used a stick. And, despite the danger of his actions, Lange was not punished. It turned out that his actions did not violate the rules established by the IBU.
What was the reckless Belgian doing?
“The worst thing a biathlete can do.” The Belgian athlete scared everyone at the World Cup
It all seemed so scary that the IBU decided to change the rules so that stories like this would never happen again. The updated paragraph of the rules clearly states the prohibition of “pointing the barrel of a rifle at oneself or others”:
“It is prohibited to make movements with the rifle that could endanger other people or competitors, regardless of whether the weapon is loaded or not. The following situations are considered safe: carrying a rifle on your back or an open bolt. The barrel must be above the front edge of the mat from the beginning to the end of the shot. At no time while on the mat may the athlete intentionally point the barrel of a rifle at himself or others,” the updated text says.
Thierry Langer
Photo: Jasmin Walter/Getty Images
Will skis be hidden from athletes?
The next block of changes concerned the novel rejection of fluoride.
Now not only rifles, but also skis will pass through the markings. Before each race, all skis prepared for the start will be checked for fluoride content. To achieve this, each stadium must provide a security checkpoint that is inaccessible to competitors and team personnel. This isolated area will be created with one purpose: “to prevent unauthorized changes before the competition.”
After the fluoride test, athletes will receive their pair of skis only at the start area. It seems that the intention is the best possible, but it is still not very clear what skis the biathletes will use to prepare for the race if the best pair is under seven locks, and how all these procedures will affect the results.
First fluoride suspension this winter:
“She is an innocent victim.” For the first time in history, a Norwegian woman was disqualified for fluoride in her skis
There have also been changes in the disciplines themselves. There are no longer 2.5 km laps in the mixed and supermix relay. Starting next season, for both men and women, the distance of each lap will be 2 km. It turns out that in April the IBU even conducted a survey related to this topic. Most athletes supported reducing lap length.
As for penalties, an additional 30 seconds will now be given to those athletes who entered the race outside the starting window in the sprint or individual race. The same time will be assigned, but already in the pursuit race, if the athlete covers the distance three seconds or less before the time assigned by the starting protocol.
By the way, if an athlete shoots with his ski unfastened or with a foreign object underneath, he will be disqualified.
We can already say that the problems for athletes and teams will increase, especially when it comes to the fight against fluoride. But for fans, the races and the preparation for them will be more dramatic and unpredictable.
