Biathlon Governance Framework to Launch in October 2025
A new Biathlon Governance Framework is to be launched to all National Federations (NFs) by the IBU, in collaboration with the Biathlon Integrity Unit, in October 2025.
The Governance Framework is a set of governance requirements for all NFs that aims to raise governance standards across biathlon. The process will begin with all NFs being asked to complete an initial assessment of their current governance practices with the full support of the BIU and IBU.
The creation of the Framework has been led by a Governance Working Group, with NF and athlete representatives providing expertise and feedback. A pilot exercise involved a small number of NFs completing the Framework and providing feedback on the process.
The 2025 Governance Framework assessment comprises four sections: NF Information; Safeguarding; Dispute Resolution; and Financial Transparency. Responses will be collected via IBU Scope.
Kalle Lähdesmäki, a former President of the Finnish Biathlon Association and a member of the Governance Consultation Working Group, said: “We need to include transparency and good governance in the Federations so that these come into the process. This is the new way of culture.”
Anastasia Merkushyna, a Ukrainian biathlete who is also a member of the Governance Consultation Working Group, added: “This document sets out the regulatory framework for the operation of sports federations, ensures the implementation of recognized best practices, and offers athletes a clear and consistent basis for decision-making in situations of uncertainty.”
All NFs will receive an email at the start of October with further information about how to complete their submission for the Biathlon Governance Framework.
If you have any questions about the BIU’s National Federation governance work, please contact BIU Governance Coordinator Julia Cook at [email protected]
Mental health: a professional’s view
Dr Alan Currie is a UK-based clinical psychiatrist who specialises in sport. He’s a member of both the IOC’s mental health working group and of the mental health working group launched by the IBU and BIU earlier this year.
In our latest Summer of Mental Health podcast, we speak to Dr Currie about mental health in sport: what kind of concerns are presented; what is the range of symptoms and conditions; and what help is available for athletes and support staff with mental health concerns.
Dr Currie’s interest in mental health in sport predated his psychiatric training, and was a result of his own experience of competing as a 1500m runner “very much on the fringes of high-performance sport,” to use his own words, in the early 1980s,
“There was an oddness around some of the things that athletes were experiencing,” he explains. “People weren’t really looking into athletes that were becoming quite miserable and unhappy in their sport. Eating problems were a concern, so I had an awareness that there were things happening in the mental health space in sport, even before I trained to become a psychiatrist.”
Dr Currie goes on to discuss the differences (and similarities) between mental health issues experienced by athletes and the general population, who should take responsibility for good mental health in sport (answer: everyone, including athletes themselves) and what role the IBU/BIU Mental Health Working Group is playing in biathlon.
He finishes with some great advice for athletes and their entourages who are experiencing mental health difficulties.
To listen to the interview, click here.
Jacques Jefferies: My mental health campaign
Jacques Jefferies is a professional biathlete competing at an elite level who has been an advocate for good mental health in sport for several years. Brought up in France, but with British parents, Jacques has just completed the switch from competing for France to competing for Great Britain, but will continue training and competing from his home in Morzine in the French Alps.
In 2023 he conducted a survey among almost 700 of his fellow athletes in a bid to understand better the mental health challenges they face. Over 70% reported having faced challenges, and 95% said they lacked knowledge on the topic. Since then, Jacques has used the survey results and personal experience to push for more education, accessible resources, and open conversations in the biathlon community
In our latest podcast interview we spoke to Jacques about his campaign, including the relationship between his role as an IBU Sustainability Ambassador and his interest in mental health in biathlon. One of the three pillars of sustainability Jacques explains, is the social aspect, and good mental health is critical for athletes to compete and to live their lives sustainably.
Jacques also explains how external pressures from, for example, the public, the media, sponsors and even athletes’ own inner circles can impact on their mental health, and discusses the important role of clubs and federations in ensuring that athletes’ voices are heard on mental health issues.
Jacques finishes with some great techniques for handling the pressures of competition, and some tips for other athletes who might be struggling with their mental health.
The podcast is part of the BIU’s Summer of Mental Health campaign. You can listen to it here.
Maintaining Mental Health
In a podcast interview, we speak to sports psychologist Andrea Appierto who shares his insights on the evolving role of mental well health in biathlon.
Andrea Appierto is a former international Alpine skier who after retiring from competition became first a coach and then a sports psychologist. To coincide with the launch of the BIU’s Summer of Mental Health campaign, we spoke to Andrea about his work and about the importance of mental health in biathlon.
As an international skier competing 10 to 15 years ago, Andrea says there was little mental health support available. However, that is changing, and he welcomes initiatives such as the Summer of Mental Health and the launch earlier this year of the IBU’s Mental Health Working Group, in partnership with the BIU.
The role of a sports psychologist in the wellbeing of athletes is about more than just maximising performance, Andrea says, adding: “You have to let the athlete understand himself better and know himself better… It’s not only about the performance, but how to manage the way you live your sport”.
When athletes approach him for help, Andrea says it’s often about how to handle the pressure of competing better, adding: “When you try to reach the top level, the line between passion and obsession is so thin. Because we hear a lot in sport that obsession is OK to reach something great, but it’s a risk. So to keep yourself in a good balance, you have to know yourself and to find your own way”.
As for coaches, Andrea says they must understand that theirs is a support role, and that they should experience the athlete’s results “not through the athlete, but with the athlete. The career is theirs”.
To listen to the interview, click here.
Latvian Coach Ilmars Bricis Accepts Sanction Following Integrity Code Violation
17 July 2025 – The Biathlon Integrity Unit (BIU) confirms that Coach Ilmars Bricis has accepted a six-month suspension from all biathlon-related activities following a violation of the IBU Integrity Code arising from an incident at the 2025 IBU World Championships in Lenzerheide.
Following a full investigation, Mr Bricis accepted responsibility for physical conduct that breached key articles of the IBU Integrity Code, including those requiring professional and courteous behaviour, and prohibiting physical abuse and conduct risking the safety of others. The violation relates to a physical altercation involving an athlete during the event period.
Mr Bricis cooperated with the BIU’s process throughout, and this cooperation was considered in determining the appropriate sanction. He will not be permitted to participate in any capacity in biathlon from 17 July 2025 until the end of the suspension period, which is 18 January 2026.
Greg McKenna, Head of the BIU, said:
“This outcome draws the matter to a close. The BIU will not tolerate violence or any behaviour that compromises the safety and wellbeing of athletes or others involved in the sport. While Mr Bricis’ behaviour and actions in Lenzerheide was unacceptable, his cooperation during the investigation has been taken into account in the six-month sanction imposed.
We also want to take this opportunity to remind all athletes and participants that if you are experiencing any issues, whether physical, psychological, or safeguarding-related, you can report them early and in complete confidence to the BIU via our secure reporting portal, Reporting Hotline – Biathlon Integrity Unit. Protecting everyone involved in biathlon is our top priority.”
The BIU remains committed to upholding the highest integrity standards and will continue working closely with national federations and stakeholders to ensure safe environments for all participants.
For further information, please contact:
Biathlon Integrity Unit
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.biathlonintegrity.com
Summer of Mental Health
This summer, the Biathlon Integrity Unit (BIU) is turning up the volume on mental health with our new campaign: Summer of Mental Health. In partnership with the International Biathlon Union (IBU), we’re building on the momentum sparked by the launch of our Mental Health Working Group back in January — and we’re just getting started.
Mental health isn’t a side note — it’s the foundation of elite performance. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or part of a support team, mental wellbeing matters. This campaign is about championing that truth and bringing it to the forefront of the biathlon world. Ultimately, we believe that good mental health is the key to good performance.
What’s Coming?
Expect an energizing mix of expert podcast interviews, powerful social media content, and candid tips from athletes and coaches who’ve been in the pressure cooker and come out stronger. We’ll continue the conversations sparked by biathletes like Jessica Jislova and Marie-Laure Brunet — and introduce new voices ready to share their journeys.
Biathletes are often up against intense psychological pressure. It can come from within or from the expectations of coaches, fans, and the media. It’s time to talk openly about that and make sure no one has to face it alone.
Together, the IBU and BIU are on a mission to make sure every member of our sport’s community has access to meaningful, tailored mental health support. We’re fostering a culture where holistic wellbeing isn’t just acknowledged — it’s celebrated.
The Summer of Mental Health is here – stay tuned for stories, tools, and inspiration that will help our entire biathlon family thrive — mentally, emotionally, and professionally.
BIU publishes Annual Report 2024-25
The Biathlon Integrity Unit (BIU) has published its Annual Report for the period from May 2024 to April 2025, a year of deeper cooperation with integrity bodies, law enforcement agencies and National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs).
As Louise Reilly, Chair of the BIU Board, put it in her introductory message: “The past year has underlined more than ever the importance of collaboration in maintaining the integrity of biathlon. While the BIU continues to act with independence and purpose, we recognise that tackling complex and transnational threats, whether doping, safeguarding failures, or corruption, requires integrated action across systems and institutions.”
Greg McKenna, Head of the BIU, added: “Our collaboration with National Anti-Doping Organisations has strengthened further this year. Through improved test distribution planning and data sharing, athlete coverage has expanded, reducing duplication and enhancing trust in the anti-doping system. Our testing strategy is reinforced by the systematic storage of samples for future reanalysis, an important tool in long-term deterrence and enforcement.”
The report provides a comprehensive overview of the BIU’s operational activities, including key facts and figures. Out of a total budget of €2.76 million (up from €1.97 million last year), 45% was spent on Sample Collection & Analysis, 28% on Legal Support, 15% on Operations, 8% on Prevention, and 3% on the BIU Board.
Key Anti-Doping Statistics
The BIU collected 1,863 samples (up from 1,293 last year), with 65% collected out of competition. A total of 381 athletes (compared with 338 last year) from 34 nations were tested. The BIU also continued its collaboration with the Development Department of the International Biathlon Union (IBU), providing integrity sessions for all levels of the Coach Education courses offered by the IBU Academy. Besides basic anti-doping and safeguarding education, the focus was on the coaches’ own wellbeing and mental health, as well as helping athletes through difficult situations.
Education Initiatives
Education and communication continue to play a crucial role in the BIU’s activities, with 12 educational events (outreaches, workshops and seminars) taking place in the course of the year, covering four main topics: anti-doping, safeguarding, rules and governance.
The BIU used a wide variety of media to communicate its important anti-doping and integrity messages to the biathlon family and beyond, including posters, brochures, videos, podcasts and, for the first time, a series of website blogs. Notable were the 450,000 views of its 89 Instagram posts during the year, an increase of 100,000 on last year.
Other Highlights
VAST: The BIU launched a pilot project exploring the use of voice analysis screening technology (VAST), an AI-enabled tool designed to support the detection of potential doping-related risks. While the sample size was modest and implementation challenges emerged, the project demonstrated encouraging potential.
Rules Review Project: As part of its commitment to continuous improvement, the BIU maintained an active and ongoing review process for all its regulatory frameworks. A recent example of this process in action is the refinement of the athlete whereabouts requirements.
Supporting the IBU Congress: At the IBU Congress in Serbia, the BIU supported accreditation and voting procedures, including overseeing the pilot use of an electronic voting system provided by Votebox. This session marked the first step in the rollout of the new NF Governance Framework, aimed at strengthening standards and consistency across the biathlon family.
National Federations Governance Framework: During the 2024–25 reporting period, the BIU and IBU formally launched the National Federation (NF) Governance Framework, an initiative designed to embed robust governance principles across the biathlon family.
Focus on Whereabouts: The BIU continued to prioritise the athlete whereabouts system as a critical component in safeguarding clean sport. The BIU supported the IBU in becoming one of just two international sports federations taking part in Safe Harbour, a collaborative project aimed at strengthening the response mechanism for safeguarding in European sports.
CAS Ruling—Anders Besseberg: In 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) delivered its decision in the case of former IBU President Anders Besseberg, confirming multiple breaches of the IBU Integrity Code during his tenure. The ruling reaffirmed the IBU’s and BIU’s shared commitment to transparency, accountability, and the highest standards of integrity in the governance of biathlon.
The full BIU Annual Report for May 2024 to April 2025 can be found here.
New BIU Integrity Ambassador Pascale Paradis
Canada’s Pascale Paradis was recently appointed as a BIU integrity ambassador, joining existing ambassadors USA’s Chloe Levins and Slovenia’s Lovro Planko.
Pascale joined us in our latest podcast interview to discuss her role as an ambassador, and what integrity means to her.
Beginning with her introduction to biathlon through her parents’ love of sport, and skiing in particular, Pascale discussed her reasons for wanting to move on to become an Integrity Ambassador, in what will be just her second year on the IBU World Cup circuit.
She also explained how she thinks she can make a difference as a BIU Ambassador, by acting as a link between the BIU and athletes, and underlined the need for continuing vigilance in response to those that might protest that biathlon has no doping or integrity problems.
Pascale ended the interview with the following message to her fellow biathletes: “Let’s look out for each other. Sport is really hard and the pressure can be really intense, but I think we’re stronger when we support each other”.
Click here to listen to the full interview.
Unintentional Doping
The World Anti-Doping Agency’s Taskforce on Unintentional Doping has invited everyone, including athletes and support personnel, to contribute to a study on unintentional doping, with a deadline for submissions of 23rd June, 2025.
As part of the BIU’s contribution to this important topic, we spoke to Sue Backhouse, a UK academic and anti-doping expert who is a member of the taskforce, about what we mean by unintentional doping, and what are its consequences.
Sue is Professor of Psychology and Nutrition, Head of the Centre for Human Performance and Director of Research for Sport and Exercise Science, Leisure and Tourism at Leeds Beckett University.
In the interview, she began by explaining that there is presently no universally-accepted definition of unintentional doping, a predicament that the taskforce is seeking to address. Likewise, no figures exist for the proportion of anti-doping violations that are attributable to unintentional doping, albeit one limited study found that about 8% of adverse analytical findings were unintentional.
Sue offered some great tips to athletes to avoid unintentional doping, including avoiding uncertified weight-loss and muscle-building supplements, along with meat products from certain countries which have been identified by WADA.
To listen to the interview, click here.
