Safeguarding education at Junior Cup and IBU Cup
The BIU held successful and well-attended educational sessions via Zoom during the Junior Cup in Obertilliach, Austria (14-17 December 2022) and the IBU Cup in Ridnaun, Italy (15-18 December 2022).
The sessions, comprising a webinar on Safeguarding, were attended by over 70 athletes from 15 different nations.
This was a new topic for athletes, so the sessions began with a short informational presentation, before the athletes broke out into small groups to discuss case studies.
Athletes were engaged and interested, and the presentation and case studies led to lively discussion afterwards with the whole group.
The aim of the sessions was to inform athletes about their right to practise their sport in a safe environment and their responsibility to speak up if they witness or experience something that doesn’t look right.
After the session, an athlete commented: “I believe that safeguarding is crucial in our sport, and it is really important for us to know what our rights and roles are. Keep biathlon fun and safe!”
The day after the sessions, Katharina Gatterer, BIU’s Safeguarding and Education Officer, and Nita Gjikolli, BIU’s Anti-Doping Coordinator, were available at an outreach booth for follow-up questions from athletes and staff members.
One of the BIU’s top priorities is to educate all athletes on Safeguarding issues, with the aim of keeping them safe from harassment and abuse.
In-Competition Testing
With the new biathlon season now under way, several athletes can expect to be subject to In-Competition testing for banned substances at each race.
Tests at World Cup, IBU Cup and Junior Cup events are carried out in conjunction with National Anti-Doping Agencies or other service providers, which act as sample-taking agencies at the events.
Certain substances are forbidden only In-Competition (the period beginning at 11.59pm on the day before a competition in which the athlete is scheduled to participate, and ending with the conclusion of the competition and the sample-taking process). Substances prohibited only In-Competition include, but are not limited to: stimulants; marijuana; narcotics; and glucocorticosteroids.
Athletes are advised to be aware of the washout times for these substances.
For more information on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List, click here.
More information on doping substances and methods can be found here, and anti-doping rules and regulations are set out here.
Athletes that are selected for an In-Competition test after a race must remain visible to their chaperones at all times until they are tested. They are allowed to change, but not to take a shower or use the toilet.
Athletes wanting to attend a flower/medal ceremony or press conference can, of course, do so, but must always be accompanied by their chaperones.
For more information on the doping test procedure, click here.
Out of competition testing
BIU steps up co-operation with NADOs ahead of new season as hundreds of Biathlon Integrity Certificates are issued
The Biathlon Integrity Unit has been implementing a comprehensive out-of-competition doping testing programme in the run-up to the 2022-23 season, with results that are in line with previous years.
During the period, the BIU’s already close co-operation with National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) has been enhanced, with the NADOs testing more athletes that are not part of the International Biathlon Union’s Registered Testing Pool (RTP) of athletes that are subject to out-of-competition testing.
This season, for the first time, all biathlon team staff members (including coaches, medical personnel and technicians) participating in any IBU event (Junior Cup, IBU Cup, World Cup) must hold a ‘Biathlon Integrity Certificate’ issued by the BIU, that includes information on doping testing.
So far, over 900 certificates have been issued ahead of the start of the new season, with more expected in the coming days.
A Biathlon Integrity Certificate can be obtained by completing a short online course, which can be found here.
The out-of-competition testing programme follows World Anti-Doping Agency rules and guidelines, testing athletes at home, at training sessions and at national competitions.
The basis for the programme is an in-depth risk assessment that was carried out during the 2020-21 season, resulting in the establishment of the IBU’s RTP.
The aim is to ensure a level playing field for all athletes competing at national and international level.
Greg McKenna, Head of the BIU, said: “Each year, with the help of the Biathlon Family, we are strengthening our anti-doping programme. Our Out-of-Competition testing now has greater focus and will not only detect prohibited substances, but also provides the BIU with valuable intelligence. As always, it is important that, should anyone have any concerns about wrongdoing, they come forward and report it in confidence to the BIU.”
The new biathlon season begins with the first BMW IBU World Cup event of the season in Kontiolahti, Finland on 29 November to 4 December, 2022.
Note to Editors
The Biathlon Integrity Unit is an operationally independent and specialised unit of the International Biathlon Union. It was established in 2019 in order to ensure all of biathlon’s stakeholders can have confidence that ethical issues in the sport will be addressed independently and expertly.
Medication and Supplements
It’s that time of year again. You begin to feel unwell, and then you go down with flu-like symptoms.
To get back to training, you decide to take some flu medication.
WAIT!
Stop right there…
As an athlete, you can’t just take any medication prescribed by a doctor or bought over the counter.
It could contain prohibited substances.
And it’s your responsibility to check the medication before you use it:
- You can ask your National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) for help or use their drug database (https://www.globaldro.com/home/other-countries);
- Or you can use GlobalDro (https://www.globaldro.com/Home), but this is mainly applicable to medication used in English speaking countries, Switzerland and Japan).
Be careful: medication bought abroad might contain different substances from those bought in your home country, even if the name/label is the same!
Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)
If you have a medical condition and you need to take a medication or use a method that is on the prohibited list, you need to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), ideally with the help of your team doctor.
TUEs have to be applied for in advance and can take some time to be processed. So, make sure to do so 30 days before you need to take the medication or use the method (exceptions apply, e.g., in case of an emergency).
Also, TUEs have an expiry date. Make sure to check it before using the medication!
Find out more about how and where to apply for a TUE here.
Advertisement – BIU Independent Board Member
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) is seeking applications for one Independent Member to join the Biathlon Integrity Unit (BIU) Board.
As part of its programme of governance and integrity reforms, the IBU established the operationally independent BIU in December 2019. The role of the BIU is to protect the integrity of biathlon. It does this through education, intelligence gathering, investigations and prosecuting rule violations and other breaches of integrity.
The BIU Board comprises five members, three Independent Members and two Non-voting Members (Head of the BIU and member from the IBU Executive Board).
Following the recent departure of one of the BIU’s Independent Board Members, the IBU is now seeking applications for the appointment of one Independent Member.
Independent Members of the Biathlon Integrity Unit Board job description and details of how to apply:
Deadline for applications: 18:00 CET on 28 November 2022
Markus Hauptmann Resigns as Member of the Biathlon Integrity Unit Board
Salzburg, Austria – October 31, 2022 – The Biathlon Integrity Unit (BIU) announced today that Markus Hauptmann, BIU Board Member, has resigned as a member of the BIU Board effective October 31, 2022.
Since the creation of the Biathlon Integrity Unit in 2019, Markus has provided valuable insight and wise guidance as one of the three independent voting members of the BIU. The Unit was established as part of the major governance reform undertaken by the IBU in response to a crisis in the sport. Markus helped to set up the Unit as a professional entity, capable of discharging its important new functions in protecting the integrity of the sport. In addition to his wider governance responsibilities, Markus oversaw the financial planning for the BIU.
IBU President Olle Dahlin commented that “Markus has been a much-valued member of the inaugural BIU Board and we are grateful to have had him play a significant role in the BIU’s development”.
Louise Reilly, Chair of the BIU Board, added “We are indebted to Markus for what has been a very successful professional relationship and he leaves with our sincere gratitude for his valuable input and the considerable contribution he has made to the BIU Board over the past three years.”
About the Biathlon Integrity Unit
The Biathlon Integrity Unit is an operationally independent and specialised unit of the International Biathlon Union. It was established in order to ensure all of Biathlon’s stakeholders can have confidence that ethical issues in the sport will be addressed independently and expertly.
The Biathlon Integrity Unit handles all integrity-related matters in Biathlon, including anti-doping, ethical breaches, betting-related issues and any kind of result manipulation. It protects the integrity of the sport by investigating and prosecuting violations; strengthening the capacity to prevent potential future wrongdoing; and ensuring the International Biathlon Union complies with its obligations under the World Anti-Doping Code, the IBU Constitution and the IBU Rules.
The Athlete Biological Passport
A podcast interview with Lasse Vestli Bækken of the Norwegian Doping Control Laboratory.
What is the Athlete Biological Passport – or ABP – and how does it work?
We spoke to Lasse Baekken of the Norwegian Doping Control Laboratory, who has been working with the athlete biological passport in anti-doping since 2015.
Lasse is responsible for the daily operations of the Nordic APMU and the hematological module of the Athlete Biological Passport. He’s also involved in the analysis of whole blood samples (hematological ABP module) and EPO analysis.
This makes him the perfect guide to the ABP for athletes and their support personnel.
Click here to listen to the interview.
BIU holds two sessions at IBU-IOC development camp
The BIU contributed two theoretical training sessions – one for athletes and one for coaches – at an IBU-IOC development camp in Antholz, Italy on 14 October.
The event was one of a series of training camps held for National Federations each year by the IBU, in conjunction with the IOC, with the aim of supporting them with both practical and theoretical knowledge and training.
The BIU contributed two theoretical training sessions – one for athletes and one for coaches – at an IBU-IOC development camp in Antholz, Italy on 14 October.
The event was one of a series of training camps held for National Federations each year by the IBU, in conjunction with the IOC, with the aim of supporting them with both practical and theoretical knowledge and training.
Athletes’ session
The session involved basic anti-doping education, including an interactive quiz in which athletes could test their knowledge.
Coaches’ session
Coaches were presented with information on safeguarding and its importance in Biathlon, which included group discussions on case studies.
After the coaches’ session, Martina Seidl, a youth coach from Ruhpolding (GER) and Olympic Champion, commented: “For me, as a coach of youth athletes, safeguarding is very important and, in my opinion, it fell short in past education in many federations.
“As coaches we have a duty to take care of our athletes as well as we can and provide them with a safe setting while training and competing. Safeguarding education helps to deal with different cases, discuss them and find solutions and/or support.”
Katharina Gatterer, Safeguarding and Education Manager at the BIU, added: “Safeguarding is quite a new topic for many, so I was extremely pleased with the coaches’ active participation in the discussion.
“They seem to have understood that their role goes beyond simply improving their athletes’ performances, and that they need to act when they feel something is not right. Our next step is to inform athletes about their right to train and compete in a safe sport environment.”
Another session is planned for the second edition of the camp in Martell, Italy on 26 November to 3 December, as the BIU continues its mission to support athletes and coaches in all integrity related matters.
Meet the BIU team
The BIU has published the first three in a series of staff profiles, with the aim of helping the Biathlon community to identify and engage with staff members more easily, whether at events or at the BIU headquarters in Salzburg.
Each short profile includes a picture, plus a description of the staff member’s role and background, including education and practical experience and expertise in the field.
Profiles also indicate where the staff member is most likely to be found at events.
The BIU hopes that increasing familiarity with BIU staff will encourage more athletes and support staff to interact with them, leading to greater awareness of integrity issues that are crucial to protecting the sport of Biathlon for the benefit of all participants.
Greg McKenna, Head of the BIU, said: “As an integrity unit, building trust is fundamental, so it is important the community we support know who we are. The BIU Team is here to provide help in a number of areas, including the general welfare of members of the Biathlon Family and we have a lot of expertise in this area! I hope our athletes, support personnel and wider biathlon family can have confidence that the experience and skills within the BIU will further strengthen the integrity of biathlon.”
Now let’s meet the team.
