Did you know that the Summer Biathlon World Championships are held in Brezno-Osrblie? Even when the Russians took part in these tournaments, they did not arouse much interest, because summer and winter biathlon are completely different sports. And now even more. But also in Slovakia interesting things are happening.
Fixed rifle – medal was given.
The men’s 7.5 km sprint race ended with victory for Belgian Florent Claude, who lost 20.1 seconds to the more experienced Latvian Andrey Rastorguev. But the athlete did not receive his deserved money.
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) reported that Rastorguev was disqualified for a safety breach. After the shootout, the biathlete entered the track with a misplaced rifle. In short, he did not immediately sit on his back and the Latvian had to correct her.
The silver went to another Baltic, the Lithuanian Vytautas Strola, and the bronze, to the Swede Jesper Nelin, who only obtained the fourth result.
Champions forgive everything
But the rules are rules. Especially when it comes to rifles. And here no one is immune from mistakes. Even champions. Just the attitude towards champions is special.
In 2017, the Frenchman Martin Fourcade forgot to load the magazine with cartridges before the massive start of the World Cup in Holmenkollen.
And I found it in the first shooting. Fourcade raised his hand several times, but none of the judges reacted. Then the French technician came to the rescue, who threw a clip at him. This is prohibited by regulation.
Fourcade was pardoned for a serious offense:
The deviation counted. Fourcade breaks all the rules by himself
Martín Fourcade was not disqualified. The IBU decided that the five-time Olympic champion did everything according to the rules and that it was “too difficult” to disqualify him for a coach’s error.
Then opinions in the biathlon community were divided. From “total disgrace” to the correct decision of the IBU. Fourcade won that mass start. Do you know who came second in that race? Andrei Rastorguev. And if then the judges showed the same integrity as now, but for a more serious offense, then the Latvian biathlete would be the winner.
Where is Martín Fourcade now?
“It’s a sin for me to complain.” How Martin Fourcade lives after the end of his career
“It is a difficult decision”
Andrea Henkel also knows that jokes with a rifle are bad.
At the 2009 World Cup in Pyeongchang, Korea, the German titleholder was not allowed to start the chase. She was supposed to start at number six. But in the room where the athletes were conducting a blank exercise, Henkel fired, mistakenly leaving a cartridge in the rifle. Authentic cartridge. Fortunately, the shot hit the wall and did not hit anyone.
“This is a difficult decision. However, it would be worse if the bullet hit someone. I’m glad that everything went well,” said the German.
Please, no initiative!
The IBU is meticulous in the handling of weapons.
In 2021, Evgenia Burtasova was banned from throwing her rifle in an unusual way. The Russian biathlete spectacularly wrapped the rifle around her shaft before tossing it behind her.
The IBU believes that this method can carry risks for everyone. What if the gun stays loaded after working the shift?
The biathlete commented on the international organization’s decision on social media.
“Let’s say goodbye. We will not see this again. During the last race in Östersund, I was told that you can’t throw a rifle like that. Otherwise, disqualification,” Burtasova wrote.
At the beginning of September the new biathlon season begins:
Maygurov spoke about the invitation to the Commonwealth Cup of athletes from other countries
And what is there in general in the 2023 World Cup?
Despite an offensive error in the sprint, Andrey Rastorguev will leave Slovakia with the win. The Latvian biathlete took victory in the supersprint, allowing just one miss on four lines. The silver and bronze went to the Czech Tomas Mikiska and the Ukrainian Artyom Tishchenko.
The women’s supersprint went to the German Marion Wiesensarter, who beat the Estonian Tuli Tomingas and her compatriot Lisa Maria Spark.
Tomingas took gold in the sprint after silver in the supersprint, ahead of Spark and the Czech Teresa Vinklarkova. The Summer Biathlon World Championships in Slovakia will end with a great start.
French biathlete Julie Simon commented on the fraud scandal:
“I am a victim. My identity was stolen.” Julie Simon on fraud allegations
