Felix Bitterling was the main biathlon manager within the DSV for four years. For the coming season, the official will be moving back to the IBU World Association. He now said a final “goodbye” to the German team.
In an Instagram post, the already replaced biathlon sports director Felix Bitterling said goodbye to the DSV again on Tuesday.
“After 1490 days it is time to say goodbye to the German biathlon team,” wrote Bitterling about several pictures that show different moments from his DSV time.
“As always in sport, we had challenging but also great times and moments that will stay with us forever. Together we worked to improve. We won and we failed – together,” added the official in his first public statement since the season finale at Oslo’s Holmenkollen.
Bitterling concluded: “What will remain is the love and enthusiasm for biathlon and the friendships we have made. I wish the DSV team luck and thank you for everything.”
Four years of biathlon with ups and downs
Bitterling had already announced his departure from DSV in December 2025. After four years with the German team, he is returning to IBU, where he will take up a position in the newly created marketing department. Bernd Eisenbichler was appointed as his successor.
Under Bitterling’s leadership, the German biathlon team has celebrated some outstanding successes in recent years, but at the same time has also suffered serious defeats. For example, the performance at the 2026 Olympic Games was the worst in German biathlon history. On the other hand, the official also celebrates Franziska Preuß’ overall World Cup victory and two world championship titles.
However, the overarching goal of leading the German biathlon team back to the top of the world in the long term and across the board has not been achieved in the past four years.
