As the 2024–25 biathlon season draws to a close, the Biathlon Integrity Unit (BIU) reflects on a year of impactful collaboration, proactive outreach, and innovation in safeguarding the integrity of our sport.

One of the season’s highlights was our ongoing partnership with Swiss Sport Integrity during the IBU World Championships in Lenzerheide. Our collaboration on both in- and out-of-competition testing maintained world-class anti-doping standards and opened promising channels for enhanced cooperation in investigative and intelligence (I&I) work. We’re committed to building further on this foundation in the seasons ahead.

At Lenzerheide, we were joined by a very special team member: Molly, the Swedish anti-doping dog. Molly’s presence brought a unique and friendly face to our efforts, helping to draw attention to the importance of clean sport in a way that was both approachable and memorable. Her participation was a great example of creative and effective outreach.

 

Deepening Connections with the Biathlon Community

We continued to invest in outreach sessions, with face-to-face engagement with athletes, coaches, and teams across key competitions:

  • Junior Cup Ridnaun (December 2024)
  • World Cup in Antholz (January 2025)
  • IBU Cup in Ridnaun (February 2025)
  • YJWCH in Östersund (February 2025)
  • Para World Championships in Pokljuka (February 2025)
  • World Cup in Pokljuka (March 2025)

Our outreach stands featured interactive activities such as quizzes and our “Wheel of Fortune,” as well as the opportunity to discuss anti-doping, safeguarding, and competition manipulation. These engagements help us build trust and reinforce the importance of integrity at every level of biathlon.

In addition to our fieldwork, we also had the opportunity to share our experience internationally. I was honoured to contribute to the MESGO (Executive Master in Sport Governance) programme, speaking on integrity challenges in biathlon. It was an important platform to reflect on lessons learned, and to reaffirm our role in driving ethical standards in sport.

We’re grateful to everyone who engaged with and supported our work this season — your trust means a great deal to us.

My team and I hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable off-season!

Greg McKenna
Head of the Biathlon Integrity Unit