14 March 2025 – The Biathlon Integrity Unit (BIU) acknowledges the award issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case concerning former International Biathlon Union (IBU) President, Anders Besseberg. The CAS ruling imposes a lifetime ban from all future elected or appointed positions within the sport due to severe breaches of integrity.

The ruling establishes that Mr Besseberg engaged in prolonged unethical conduct, including the receipt of inappropriate gifts and benefits, and the failure to prevent or challenge unethical practices. The CAS Panel found that:

• The IBU’s Integrity Code and disciplinary rules remained applicable to Mr Besseberg post-tenure, given his role as an organ of the IBU, thus allowing for the imposition of sanctions even after he left office.

• The charges concerning watches, hunting trips, and the provision of prostitution services were substantiated and constituted integrity breaches. The Panel confirmed that Mr Besseberg had accepted valuable watches and hunting trips, while the determining factor in the prostitution-related breaches was the direct link between Mr Besseberg’s use of these services with his official duties as IBU President.

• Mr Besseberg failed in his duty to intervene in unethical conduct, further breaching the integrity standards of the IBU.

Considering the seriousness of the violations and the lack of remorse shown by Mr Besseberg, the CAS Panel imposed a lifetime ban from all official biathlon roles.

The CAS ruling also highlights concerns over the fact that such unethical behaviour was allowed to persist for an extended period without intervention.

This underscores the importance of continued vigilance in safeguarding the integrity of the sport. While these failings occurred prior to recent governance reforms, the BIU now provides independent oversight and maintains strict integrity measures to prevent misconduct of this nature from recurring.

Greg McKenna, Head of the BIU, stated: “This decision sends a clear message that unethical behaviour at the highest levels of sport will not be tolerated. The BIU remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the integrity of biathlon and ensuring that those in positions of authority are held to the highest ethical standards. We recognise the lessons from this case and working with the IBU, will continue to enhance governance mechanisms to prevent any recurrence of such conduct.”

The BIU reaffirms its mission to maintain the integrity of the sport and will work closely with the IBU and other stakeholders to further strengthen its governance framework.

For further information, please contact:

Biathlon Integrity Unit Email: [email protected]

Website: www.biathlonintegrity.com