Biathlon: what winter of 2024/2025 for Russia’s biathletes?
Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from international competitions. Despite this, biathletes continue to compete on their national circuit with two major competitions: the Cup of Russia and the Commonwealth Cup. The end of the season is an opportunity to take stock of the state of the sport in Russia, ten months ahead of the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games.
In the Cup of Russia, Said Karimulla Khalili won the overall classification. The 26-year-old – who won a bronze medal in the relay at the Olympic Games in Beijing (China) and a World Cup podium in the individual event inAntholz (Italy) in January 2022 – showed great consistency with twelve podium finishes, including four victories.
He finished ahead of Daniil Serokhvostov, the 25-year-old biathlete who discovered the World Cup during the 2021/2022 season, with his best result being eighth place in a sprint in Oberhof (Germany).
“It was a great season, but the end was difficult. I think that if I hadn’t fallen ill, it would have been easier. It was a good season. Lots of wins and podiums, I shone normally throughout the season, everything was great,” Serokhvostov told Match TV.
Third place in the overall standings went to a familiar name in World Cup racing,Eduard Latypov. However, the 31-year-old Russian had a difficult time of it at the end of the season with a persistent illness.
“I’ve had further tests, and not all of them are good. More precise information is needed to determine what’s wrong. Health has to come first. We have a very important season ahead of us. We need to make the right decision,” he told Match TV.
In the Commonwealth Cup, it was the Belarusian Anton Smolski who won the overall. The Olympic runner-up in the individual event in Beijing (China) had a great season, finishing on the podium thirteen times, including six times on the highest step of the podium.
On the women’s side, Victoria Slivko dominated the two overall rankings with six individual victories. In the Russian Cup, the 30-year-old biathlete beat former cross-country skier Natalia Shevchenko (formerly Mekryukova) and Anastasia Khalili-Goreeva. In the Commonwealth Cup, she beat Belarusian biathlete Dzinara Smolskaya (ex Alimbekava) and Russian Tamara Derbusheva.
A level of debate
While the competitions continue, the level of these events is open to debate. Voices are divided even within the Russian caravan. Indeed, a number of athletes are questioning the level, the first being Eduard Latypov, who warned last August about the level of adversity encountered.
” The World Cup athletes continue to progress. They’re shooting faster, impressing on the skis, and it’s clear that they’re surpassing themselves and making the most of every fraction of a second. If we rest on our laurels in Russia and are confident in our strengths, we’ll be beaten as soon as we return to the international circuit”, he declared on Match TV‘s Special Report programme.
Russian-born biathlete Timofey Lapshin, who has raced for South Korea since 2017, has made several World Cup starts this winter. In an interview with Match TV, he insists on the progression of the world circuit. “The World Cup level has improved a lot. The Russian biathletes will be surprised when they come back. A view shared by biathlete Polina Shevnina: “International biathlon has made great progress. It will be difficult for us to perform in the World Cup.
Other athletes are much more positive about the level of the Russian circuit. Such is the case of Belarusian Dzinara Smolskaya (ex Alimbekava), seventh in the overall World Cup rankings in 2021 and 2022.
“A lot of people are now saying that we will lose to foreigners when we return to international competitions, but I don’t think so. I think we’ll adapt fairly quickly. I don’t see anything supernatural about the World Cup,” she told Match TV in February.
An optimism shared by Russia’s Alexander Povarnitsyn: “Our biathletes are among the top ten in the world and can even claim a place on the podium,” he told MetaRatings.
What about Milan/Cortina 2026?
These discussions are gaining momentum at a time when the possibility of Russian and Belarussian athletes returning to international competitions is becoming increasingly popular.
In January, the President of the International Ski Federation (FIS), Johan Eliasch, opened the door by saying that they could be reinstated under certain conditions, as had been possible at the Paris 2024 Olympics: no Russian flag, no national anthem and no links with Russian security forces. ” Athletes are not responsible for where they were born and they should not be caught in the crossfire,” he had explained, as reported by Sweden Herald.
For his part, IBU President Olle Dahlin assured the World Championships in Lenzerheide (Switzerland) that “no Russian will be allowed to take part in the Olympic Games in 2026, unless the war in Ukraine comes to an end. ” For the moment, there’s no doubt about it“.
He added: “We hope that the war will come to an end, because these are two very important nations for biathlon. If the war ends and we have to take a different decision from the one currently in force, then there will be a possibility of qualification until 26 January 2026, in accordance with IBU rules.
In the Russian camp, the objective is clear: “All our preparations, which will begin in the spring, will be structured with participation in the Olympic Games in mind”, Viktor Maigurov, President of the Russian Biathlon Federation, assured Match TV.
If they are unable to compete in Antholz, they already have a plan B: “If we are not allowed to take part, we plan to organise the competition in Sochi in February. What’s more, for Viktor Maigurov: “The first public statements by the new IOC President, Kirsty Coventry, give us hope”, as he told MetaRatings.
At present, the fighting continues on Ukrainian soil and the future of the Russian and Belarusian athletes should be decided soon.
Read also
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