SJUSJØEN (VG) This season, Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen, Tarjei Bø or Johannes Thingnes Bø can hardly catch a cold – or a funeral – if they want to win the World Cup.
The International Biathlon Union, IBU, has abolished the possibility of canceling two races of the overall World Cup. Starting this season, all races count when choosing a World Cup big trophy winner.
Until the 2009/2010 season, the three worst results were cancelled. During the pandemic, four races could be cancelled. Now there is no prayer:
You have to be okay, you can’t skip a weekend or two preparing for the World Cup, at least not if you have ambitions of lifting the crystal during the World Cup final in Holmenkollen on March 19th.
– This is a pity, says Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen to VG.
– Imagine leading the overall World Cup standings and feeling forced to go home and worst case scenario you could lose three individual races. Then everything can be done. The World Cup in general was the most important thing and it’s the only chance to win. It becomes an unpleasant dilemma.
The 30-year-old doesn’t fully understand why the IBU is tightening up and points out that there has never been a problem with athletes standing up during World Cup competitions.
– I am an opponent of the new agreement. It is not needed. You never know what’s going to happen over the course of a long season. It could be births, there could be deaths in close family, it could be our own illness preventing us from participating. Usually, something unexpected happens and you have to go home. That you are then put in a difficult situation is a pity.
Tarjei Bø became Aron’s father in September, off-season. He thinks the IBU is lacking a bit with the change.
– Norwegian runners think it’s okay to skip some races. You don’t need it if everything goes smoothly, but things can happen. Illness is one thing now, but there can be deaths in the family, funerals and other events that override anything to do with sports. Then it’s boring that you have to be sidelined like that. We think it’s good to have a little “buffer” for very unforeseen things, says Tarjei Bø before the start of the season on Saturday here in Sjusjøen.
The IBU’s decision suits Johannes Thingnes Bø well, but he is not a fan either.
– It’s perfect for me. I won’t go home for any births and I very rarely get sick, but there are unforeseen things that can strike you and put you in a difficult dilemma.
He fears athletes will instead run individual races if there is a hint of illness and instead supervise the relays. It will weaken the quality of an exciting biathlon product.
In addition to the fact that you will not be able to complete two races, the highlight of the season, the WC, will not count towards the choice of the best male and female biathletes of the season.
– I don’t quite get it. We may have ourselves to thank. Norway are so superb and have so many athletes in the top 15 who have qualified for the WC drills. He keeps the other riders out and thus lose important points for the World Cup. It’s stupid because it applies to at most one or two athletes for boys and none among girls. That’s not all you need to understand, laughs Thingnes Bø, who at the same time doesn’t want to make a final judgment on the rule changes.
