IBU presses ahead with implementation of Target 26 through virtual regional workshops

The International Biathlon Union (IBU) is continuing to make progress on the implementation of its strategic plan, Target 26, despite restrictions caused by the COVID-19 crisis, by hosting a series of virtual regional workshops for National Federations (NFs).

NFs are split across six regions – Americas, Asia and Oceania, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe and Southern Europe – with each region receiving three separate digital sessions on Governance, Development and Sustainability.

The first workshop sessions took place this week on 16 and 17 June with the IBU delivering the Governance and Development sessions to the Northern Europe region. The five remaining regions will receive the Governance and Development sessions over the next three weeks before the cycle restarts for the Sustainability session. The last of the 18 sessions across the six regions will take place on 18 August 2020.

IBU President Olle Dahlin said:

"Target 26 is biathlon’s roadmap to ensure we realise our sport’s huge potential and so it is critical that, working with our National Federations, we continue to make progress on its implementation. By hosting our regional workshops virtually, we can continue to protect the wellbeing of our biathlon family while ensuring we do not lose valuable time in building towards a stronger future.

The two sessions this week were very productive and we received excellent input from the participating National Federations. We strongly believe in the importance of representing our members’ collective interests and I look forward to speaking with all National Federations over the coming weeks."

Each of the sessions is facilitated by IBU President Dahlin and IBU Secretary General Niklas Carlsson with support from the relevant IBU heads of department.

The session on Governance focuses on the results of the NF online survey, governance amendments required as a result of the new IBU Constitution and a discussion on the regional challenges that impact the growth of biathlon within the NF’s respective countries. The session on Development addresses the future direction of development support, the concept of the IBU Academy and regional challenges to the development of biathlon. The final session on Sustainability tackles sustainability in the context of Target 26, sustainability issues in biathlon and the vision for 2030.

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