The International Biathlon Union (IBU) hosted its annual Organising Committee (OC) meeting in Prague, Czech Republic on 23-25 June bringing together hosts of its events to share information and plan ahead for the future.

Representatives from 25 OCs were in attendance at the meeting which was opened by IBU President Olle Dahlin and IBU Vice President member and host of the meeting Jiri Hamza, President of the Czech Biathlon Federation. IBU Secretary General Max Cobb then delivered a report on biathlon during the 2022/23 season and addressed the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

General updates were provided by the IBU on short-term projects related to the organization of events including IBU event branding, implementation of the fluor control system and sustainability efforts.

A panel discussion on the OC Working Group findings was held as the short, mid and long-term challenges were discussed and how they be tackled together.

On the second day, delegates were split into two groups for a half-day workshop, which saw OCs exchange ideas and opinions on how to stay successful and relevant in the future and explore limitations and opportunities. The results from the workshops were presented and provided an important opportunity for the IBU to understand the OC’s perspective and ensure it is factored into long-term strategic planning.

In the afternoon the OC Sustainability Awards were presented to recognise the excellent work being done in fulfilling the IBU family’s commitment to minimising its impact on the environment.

The final day saw the IBU provide an overview of future projects and possible developments that will be relevant to OCs including venue licensing, event applications and fan clubs.

Photos: OC NMNM/Tomas Hermann