Awarding of Biathlon Champs to Russia Criticized

(ATR) Sport leaders react unfavorably towards the International Biathlon Union’s controversial decision to award the 2021 World Championships to the Russian city of Tyumen.

Norwegian Biathlon president Erlend Slokvik expressed his dismay with the choice of the Siberian host city, which was taken at the IBU Congress in Moldova last weekend. IBU delegates elected the Russian city on the first ballot over rival bids from Nové Město na Moravě in the Czech Republic and Pokljuka in Slovenia.

"We are really unhappy with this decision – it was a big disappointment," Slokvik tells Around the Rings. "It sends the wrong message to the sport world about our attitude against doping and it gives a wrong signal to Russia.

"With this decision, Russia still believes that what has happened earlier is accepted," he said, referring to evidence of state-run doping at the Sochi 2014 Games as revealed in the McLaren report.

"A representative for WADA is also communicating that IBU is violating the WADA code in this case," Slokvik added.

Tyumen was elected despite a recent IOC recommendation to all winter sports federations to "freeze their preparations for major events in Russia" and find host cities in other countries, following the release of the McLaren report.

IBU president Anders Besseberg, however, defended the decision, advising that the federation did not need to follow the July recommendation of the IOC because the 2021 bidding process was well underway prior.

In Rio de Janeiro last month, all seven international winter sport federations met with the IOC and WADA and were also informed to move forward with competitions scheduled for Russia in 2017.

Czech Republic NOC president Jiri Kejval said he was perplexed with the IBU decision, as Nové Město na Moravě lost the opportunity to host the showcase biathlon event for a second time following 2013.

"It is fair to say that the Czech NOC is puzzled by the decision to award the Biathlon World Championships 2021 to Tyumen in Russia," Kejval tells ATR. "We assumed that the Olympic family would follow the spirit of the IOC’s advice to the winter sports federations in July.

"Nove Mesto na Morave had put together a very good bid and we felt confident," Kejval added. "We had expected stiff competition from other potential host cities, but not Russia."

"It is something we still struggle to comprehend, especially when it is so contrasting with the IBU anti-doping policy until present," said Jiri Hamza, president of the Czech Biathlon Union.

Bernd Eisenbichler, the IBU voting representative from the U.S., was also disturbed by the decision.

"Not only was it surprising, but it was also shocking that [Tyumen] got 25 votes," said Bernd Eisenbichler, chief of sport for the U.S. Biathlon Association, told FasterSkier.com on Tuesday. "I want to state that it is wrong. It is a very disappointing outcome of the vote."

Besseberg noted that should further violations and doping positives be proven related to Russia’s alleged systemic state-run doping during Sochi 2014 the 2021 championships could be moved.

"It's possible without problem," Besseberg told AP about possible reallocation of hosting rights.

The McLaren investigation has already implicated 10 biathletes and 13 cross-country skiers.

Bobsleigh and skeleton federation president and newly elected IOC member Ivo Ferriani chose not to jump into the controversy.

"The IBSF is not in the position to comment on decisions taken by our Winter Sports colleagues," Ferriani told ATR. "Knowing the professionality of the IBU, especially of its President and the Secretary General, I am sure they evaluated all options."

Tyumen will also host World Cup competitions in March 2017, and the 2017 Youth and Junior World Championships in Ostrov, Russia, are also moving ahead as planned.

Bobsleigh World Champs Still on Track for Sochi

Bobsleigh chief Ferriani tells ATR that the 2017 IBSF World Championships are still scheduled to take place on the Olympic track in Sochi, Russia.

Should the bobsledders and skeleton sliders compete in Sochi from February 13-26, it will mark the first world championship in Russia sanctioned by an international winter sport federation since the release of the McLaren report in July.

"The McLaren report as presented in July was not yet finished given the very short time frame available before the Rio Games and we were informed by WADA that more information will be provided in October – until then we have to wait," Ferriani said.

"After having conducted meetings with different parties we can also confirm that the Organizing Committee of the BMW IBSF World Championships Bob & Skeleton 2017 fulfills all requirements as set out in the IBSF rules and has presented the bid documents to host the event," Ferriani added.

Written by Brian Pinelli

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