Biathlon: Quentin Fillon-Maillet takes a stand
Last week, after a memorable outburst in our columns about the IBU’snew system for determining the starting order of sprints and individual races, Stéphane Bouthiaux called for calm: “As soon as it’s set in stone, I think we should stop spending energy against this decision. We know we’re going to have to live with it and we have to get it through our heads,” explained the director of the French teams.
However, on Monday, the French team athletes were invited to the FFS headquarters in Annecy for a day with their media partners. It was an opportunity for Quentin Fillon-Maillet from the Jura to express his disapproval of the reform of the race number system.
“I’m not happy. I understand the desire of television to make a timed format more interesting by scattering the top athletes over the race. But the difficulty is that the conditions won’t be fair, except in exceptional cases”, he began in an interview with Eurosport.
“Money must not have power over such an important sporting decision”.
Afterwards, the winner of the 2022 Crystal Globe pointed out that starting at the end of the race created “problems in terms of waxing and set-up time”. “I think it’s sad, we’re one of the major players. Money shouldn’t have power over such an important sporting decision,” added Quentin Fillon-Maillet, who was as angry as ever.
However, the new regulations could benefit the Franc-Comtois at the first race of the 2024/2025 winter season. The Grandvallier finished last year outside the top 15. As a result, he will start the opening individual short race on December 3 with a favourable race number compared with the best biathletes of the 2023/2024 season.
“It will be to my advantage (…), but I hope to move up in the rankings and I don’t think it’s fair enough,” continued Quentin Fillon-Maillet, who regretted that the IBU had not listened to the Athletes’ Committee, which was opposed to the reform.
He therefore hopes that she will reconsider her decision after the first quarter of the season. An assessment of the legislation will then be carried out.
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- IBU: “Our opinion has not been taken very seriously”, says Sebastian Samuelsson
- Reform of the start lists: Dorothea Wierer sides with the IBU
- “I’m a bit sceptical about it”: Lisa Vittozzi is not convinced by the IBU’s new rules
- Stéphane Bouthiaux’s anger after the reform of the IBU starting groups: “A real scandal, it’s unacceptable”.
- All the news for the 2024/2025 season
