An initial meeting of a newly-established Mental Health Working Group was held on 20 January, as part of an initiative by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and Biathlon Integrity Unit (BIU) to prioritise mental health in athletes, coaches, and support teams.

Good mental health is essential for both wellbeing and performance, and in recognition of the links between mental health, integrity and good governance. The BIU aims to address these challenges in a proactive, integrated manner.

A very experienced group has been formed to address the topic, consisting of:·         

·         Greg McKenna, Head of BIU

·         Lucie Rothauer, Prevention Manager, BIU

·         Dagmara Gerasimuk, Development Director, IBU

·         Daniel Böhm, Sport Director, IBU

·         Anna Kitzbichler, Education Manager, IBU

·         Nathalie Santner, Board Member, IBU

·         Jessica Jislova, athlete representative

·         Katja Mjösund, Member of IBU Medical Advisory Group and sports physician

·         Marie-Laure Brunet, external expert, former athlete and now a coach

·         Alan Currie, external expert and psychiatrist with significant experience in mental health support to athletes

The working group aims to meet every two months until November, to work on potential pathways not only to enhance mental health services in the sport, but also to promote overall wellbeing throughout the biathlon community.

The programme will be adapted according to the needs of biathlon, reflecting the specificities of an endurance and individual sport.

If you, or anyone you know in the biathlon family, is affected by these issues, you can contact the BIU in confidence at:

[email protected]