Biathlon world champion Doll raises the alarm about the future: "You have to ask yourself the question..."

Created: 12/09/2022 10:21 am

By: Andreas Knobloch

Benedikt Doll talks about the future of biathlon.

Will it soon no longer be a winter sport?

© IMAGO / CEPix

The German biathlon world champion Benedikt Doll has sounded the alarm because of the development.

Is the winter sport changing fundamentally?

Ruhpolding - The German biathlete Benedikt Doll is the most experienced athlete within the team.

In the popular winter sport, the new father is definitely important for further success.

Now Doll has given an interview and talked about the future of biathlon - and pointed out some problems.

Biathlete Benedikt Doll raises the alarm: "You have to think about it"

At Eurosport, Doll answered the question of whether biathlon would still exist in 2050 due to climate change.

“I think it now plays a role where the systems are.

You might have to ask yourself whether it makes sense to keep certain World Cup locations alive.

Although you know that there really is no longer any chance of natural snow in the future and that you will only have to rely on artificial snow,” Doll said clearly.

And he adds an alternative that he doesn't think is great himself.

The brooding biathlete hits the hearts of winter fans with his honest words: “It's something you can think about, but don't necessarily want to think about.

Because it's just so sad.

But you can ask yourself whether biathlon will one day become a summer sport with roller skis.”

Biathlon a winter sport: clear plea from Benedikt Doll

Will that happen?

For ARD and ZDF, biathlon is the driving force that plows through the winter.

The 32-year-old knows that only too well, and he describes the disadvantages of summer biathlon at Eurosport: “I would currently say that the flair of winter is missing.

If you look at ratings and potential, people are simply at home in winter.

They're on the road in the summer, so the ratings would certainly be worse.

It could be that biathlon completely loses its appeal.

Because it just doesn't work in the summer.

That could be the case."

In order to be able to continue running and shooting in winter, Doll also gives examples.

“Our training facility at Notschrei is at 1200 meters, which is the highest biathlon facility in Germany.

Maybe it's an option to say: Okay, we'll see that we build systems at a height where there is still a certain amount of snow for the next 30 years or so," explains the native of the Black Forest.

Not every popular World Cup location is therefore suitable.

In Anterselva there would not always be mega amounts of natural snow, but in Hochfilzen there would be precipitation and snow.

Doll announces the end of her career: "After this or the next season"

The climate issue is omnipresent.

Be it the adhesive activists, the political confrontation with the energy crisis, sustainability at the soccer World Cup or for passionate winter sports enthusiasts in ski areas.

Doll, who showed off his unusual company car in 2021, is also critical of himself when it comes to his carbon footprint.

Biathletes have to travel a lot.

"I could say to myself in summer: Then I won't travel three times between spring and autumn on intercontinental flights to Bali, the Bahamas or wherever.

To go on holiday there again – where I've been traveling all winter.

That's what I do, for example."

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And the 2017 world champion won't be having fun for a long time either.

"I'm retiring after this season or next.

I'll decide that at the end of this winter," said the biathlete, adding that he's "90 percent not going to be in the 2026 Olympics."