PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Confusion is total in the Biathlon World Cup right now.
And Sweden suddenly has to field more riders.
– They have made the big mistake here, says SVT expert Björn Ferry to SportExpressen.
It came as a shock announcement in the German Oberhof and caused great confusion throughout the Biathlon World Cup. Because on Thursday, the announcement came that Sweden and the other countries can add more riders to the starting line.
WC confusion
In the upcoming sprint competition, the WC countries can use five riders plus a reigning champion and because Swedish Martin Ponsiluoma if that’s the case in the WC sprint, Sweden can take advantage of the new rule and bring one more rider. It also means that Mona Brorsson who was recently kicked out of the WC sprint gets the chance to ride as Sweden’s fifth rider in the race.
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The SVT expert Bjorn Ferry is now directing strong criticism at the International Biathlon Union, IBU, which should have been more clear in its rule change.
– If it had only been Sweden that had made this mistake, it would have been terribly embarrassing. But now it is pretty much all countries. I think it is the IBU that has made the big mistake here, says the former biathlete to SportExpressen.
READ MORE: The Swedish expert’s harsh criticism after the giant miss – now accuses Sebastian Samuelsson: “It’s a scandal”
Ferry’s criticism
Ferry will also give clear advice to the Swedish national biathlon team to fly in the reserve Malte Stefanssonwhich remains on Swedish soil during the championship.
– On the women’s side, you already have five skaters. But on the men’s side, you have to fly someone in. I think you should use your seats. Fly in Malte Stefansson, I think so, says Ferry to the evening newspaper.
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Norway has also misunderstood the rule and has now chosen to call up the reserve Endre Strömsheim who will immediately fly to Germany to compete in the WC. Sweden has not yet made a decision on whether to call Stefansson in or not.
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