– Maybe the Norwegian Biathlon Federation wants to retire already? This is how Johannes Thingnes Bø responds to the fact that the biathlon association has once again failed to apply for a World Cup at home. NO REPEAT: Thingnes Bø had a great time during the World Cup at home in 2016. There will be no replay. Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grøtt / NTB This week it was announced that Oslo is not among the cities that have applied to host the World Cup in biathlon in 2027, even though biathlon president Arne Horten has previously gone out and promised that Norway would fight to get precisely this championship. Already two years ago, Horten mentioned that Norway missed the application deadline when they wanted the World Cup to Oslo in 2025, and that they should therefore rather apply to get the world championship in 2027. But that was not the case. – Very nonsensical Thingnes Bø has already signaled the end of his career after the Olympics in 2026, but he has kept his door open to experience a folk festival at home the following year. He now closes that door. – It was in many ways a final point for me, he says to news. What has gone on behind the scenes, it is not entirely easy to figure out. Biathlon president Horten, Morten Aa Djupvik, general secretary of the biathlon association and Oslo municipality’s sports agency, Omar Gamal, has very different versions of what is actually the reason why Oslo is not yet applying. The parties agree that they met last autumn, but the agreement also stops there. – It is very nonsensical, says sports agency councilor Gamal and laughs when he gets the right version of the association. If they received a bad response, biathlon president Horten’s explanation is that they never received any obligations from the municipality, and that there are parts of the reason why no application was ever submitted. SKIER PRESIDENT: Arne Horten. Photo: Sondre Hensema Eriksen / Norwegian Biathlon Association – There was little response in the municipality to arrange a World Cup. We are disappointed with that. We expected much more positivity around it. Horten says that Holmenkollen must be upgraded with grandstand capacity and floodlights, and that the association and Oslo municipality did not come to terms with this, something that was a prerequisite for being able to apply for a World Cup. – You can say that we should fight more, but we think it should be unnecessary. A WC is such a big event that there should be cheers in Oslo for a biathlon WC. And this is what makes the sports agency use the words “nonsense”. He has a completely different perception of what has happened. – They can blame themselves – They can only blame themselves. It is one and only their own fault. We have had an open attitude towards them, Gamal counters. The Sports Agency says that the biathlon association held a presentation for the municipality, and that the municipality in the wake of the bath association submitted a written request. They wanted an overview of the budget, what they want from the City of Oslo, and what they envisioned that the event could provide added value for the inhabitants of the city. SPORTS AGENCY: Omar Gamal. Photo: Sturlason – We can not base our assessments on a presentation that they have once for us. They need to take a little more initiative than that. Here they have simply messed it up once again, says Gamal. – They are welcome to send what they have been asked to send, so this should be considered in the same way as other major championships, he says. MOOD: WC in Holmenkollen in 2016 PEOPLE’S PARTY: WC in Holmenkollen in 2016. ABSOLUTELY KING: WC in Holmenkollen in 2016. FOLK PARTY: WC in Holmenkollen in 2016.CELEBRATION: WC in Holmenkollen in 2016.HELT KING: WC in Holmenkollen in 2016.FOLK PARTY: WC in Holmenkollen in 2016. CELEBRATION: WC in Holmenkollen in 2016. Shoulder to oral advice news has seen the written dialogue between the association and the municipality. It appears that Oslo Municipality on 29 November last year asked Secretary General Morten Aa Djupvik to come back to them with more details: things they want the municipality to contribute with, for example, free rental of the facility, assistance in the facility during the championship and emergency group (to name a few examples). Also what they see for the dive of improvements in the facility (it is the facility of the municipality so they do not need to apply for grants, but it is good to know a little about the scope). ” The special adviser to the municipality also attached the World Cup application to the wrestling association, so that the biathlon association would see how it could be resolved, but the association never sent what they were encouraged to. Djupvik tells news that he was verbally advised not to apply to the municipality for support for the WC. SECRETARY-GENERAL: Morten Aa Djupvik. Photo: Berit Roald / NTB – We presented the WC. But we were clearly advised not to apply now because it is too short a time. And of course we have to take it in stride that we should be out earlier. But it is the case that we are completely dependent on having Oslo Municipality as our host municipality if we are to submit an application. And there was certainly no mood for it during the meeting, says the general secretary. He does not remember who advised the association not to apply. The result is in any case that the World Cup in 2027 will either be held in Estonian Otepää or in Kontiolahti in Finland. Now Ingrid Landmark crosses Tandrevold for the Norwegian Biathlon Federation to get an application in place before the deadline for the championship in 2028. – It is my biggest dream to experience a World Cup at home.
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– They can only blame themselves – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
