Otepaeae gets IBU World Championships 2027

The NFs re-elected Olle Dahlin as the IBU President and selected Otepaeae as the host of the IBU World Championships 2027 at the 15th Ordinary IBU Congress. But there were some other important decisions taken in Salzburg.

Olle Dahlin unanimously re-elected

Olle Dahlin was unanimously re-elected IBU President at the 15th Ordinary Congress, which also saw the election of Jiri Hamza as IBU Vice President and the election of a new IBU Executive Board and Technical Committee.

New IBU Executive Board

The elected members of the Executive Board for the 2022-2026 cycle are:

• IBU President: Olle Dahlin (SWE)

• IBU Vice President: Jiri Hamza (CZE)

• IBU Treasurer: Christian Scherer (AUT)

• Members

  • Franz Steinle (GER)

  • Tim Farčnik (SLO)

  • Tore Boygard (NOR)

  • Fabien Saguez (FRA)

  • Nathalie Santer (ITA)

  • Ekaterina Dafovska (BUL)

The Executive Board is completed by the Chair of the IBU Athletes’ Committee, Clare Egan (USA), and the designated IBU Secretary General Max Cobb, who will come into office in October 2022.

The Congress selected Otepaeae

Otepaeae, a winter sports town in South Estonia, was recommended by the IBU Executive Board as its preferred candidate ahead of competitor Kontiolahti, Finland. The Congress voted in favour of the Executive Board's selection.

New IBU Technical Committee

The Congress also elected 10 members of the new IBU Technical Committee, which will be completed by Kaisa Makarainen (FIN) as the athletes’ representative. The elected members are:

• Felix Bitterling (GER)

• Ulrika Oeberg (SWE)

• Michal Zichacek (CZE)

• Sara Studebaker-Hall (USA)

• Christophe Vassallo (FRA)

• Hillar Zahkna (EST)

• Fabrizio Curtaz (ITA)

• Per Arne Botnan (NOR)

• Tomi-Pekka Riihivuori (FIN)

• Dejan Brajdic (CRO)

The suspension of Russia and Belarus maintained

1. The Congress also voted in favour of the IBU Executive Board recommendation to maintain the suspension of the Russian Biathlon Union and the Biathlon Federation of Belarus until certain conditions are met. (40 in favour, 1 against, Secret Ballot)

2. Moreover, it also followed the Executive Board’s separate recommendation not to allow the participation of any Russian or Belarusian athletes or officials at its international events until further notice (39 in favour, 2 against, Secret Ballot)

Photo: Christian Manzoni