As of: February 7, 2024, 2:05 p.m
By: Melanie Gottschalk
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A new wax rule has been in effect in biathlon since this season.
This always causes dissatisfaction.
Record Olympic champion Ole Einar Björndalen also criticizes.
Nove Mesto – The Biathlon World Championships begin in Nove Mesto on Wednesday (February 7th).
There are problems even before the start: the weather is too warm and there is no snow.
There is therefore a threat of difficult title fights, which could not be a good thing, especially for small nations.
Record Olympic champion and world champion Ole Einar Björndalen sees the reason for this in a new wax regulation that has been in effect in biathlon since this season.
Biathlon legend Björndalen criticizes the ban on fluorine wax at the World Cup
Björndalen has therefore clearly criticized the fluorine wax ban.
“I am not a fan of the ban, it has made the gap between the weaker nations even greater,” said the 50-year-old Norwegian to the German Press Agency.
“I think the world association has to do something.
Large nations with more opportunities now have even more advantages.”
The 20-time world champion and eight-time Olympic champion had hoped for cold conditions at the world title fights in Nove Mesto, because then, from today's TV expert's point of view, the gaps wouldn't be that big.
But it doesn't look like that.
According to the forecasts, there will be significantly plus temperatures, and as of now, it won't be really cold in the second week either.
Ole Einar Björndalen criticizes the new wax regulations in biathlon.
© Beate Oma Dahle/imago
Biathlon World Championships in Nove Mesto: No snow and warm temperatures
There is no snow in Nove Mesto, only the routes in the Vysocina Arena are prepared with artificial snow.
“If the temperatures are zero degrees or more, then it’s not a real World Championship for me in the first fluorine-free year,” said Björndalen.
The routes are demanding and growing there is very difficult: “I hope it will go well.”
However, there is no Plan B, as the World Biathlon Federation announced.
“We're not worried.
The snow depots are well filled.
There is no plan B and it would no longer be feasible,” said IBU communications director Christian Winkler in response to a
dpa
request.
The title fights at the Biathlon World Cup are therefore not in danger.
However, the quality of the snow in plus temperatures and rain is a different matter.
For biathlon icon Dorothea Wierer it could be the last big highlight of her career; she recently left her future open.
Will your career end after the season?
(msb/dpa)