The Russian national biathlon team has published the squad for the coming winter season – and caused a few surprises in the process. Alexander Loginov, Sprint World Champion of 2020, is missing from the training groups.
Alexander Loginov is not preparing for the new season with the national biathlon team of Russia. The 31-year-old, who won bronze in the relay and mixed relay at the Beijing Winter Olympics, prefers individual training, Russian federation vice-president Pavel Rostovtsev told Championat.
Loginov said in a phone call in early May that he was rejecting the association’s offer: “He completely refused,” said Rostovtsev. Loginov has struggled with injuries throughout the past season.
Anton Babikov, relay world champion of 2017, was offered his place. “But Anton also refused.”
At the same time, the biathlon official contradicted rumors that Babikov had canceled due to a dispute with national coach Sergei Bashkirov.
“Anton made this decision alone. Perhaps his expectations that he should continue working in the Bashkirov group were not met. Babikov thanked him for the suggestion to prepare with the national team, but then decided to do it himself.” , Rostovtsev explained.
National team without relay stars
Other prominent names not to be found in the Russian training groups include Kristina Reztsova and Uliana Nigmatullina, who returned in Beijing with relay silver and mixed relay bronze. Both had suspended last season due to pregnancy, in future they want to prepare for the winter season away from the national team.
Season colleague Svetlana Mironova, who was often injured last winter, did not meet the necessary criteria for inclusion in the squad. Only Irina Kasakevich, who started in Beijing as a starting runner in the relay, works with the national team.
Russian biathletes are banned from international competitions in response to the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. As in the 2022/23 season, they therefore only compete in national competitions.
The Russian biathlon squad at a glance:
Group of Yuri Kaminski: Eduard Latypov, Roman Eremin, Denis Irodov, Ilnaz Mukhamedzyanov, Alexander Kornev, Evgeny Yemerkhonov
Group of Sergey Bashkirov: Alexander Povarnitsyn, Vasily Tomshin, Kirill Bazhin, Ivan Kolotov, Maxim Tsvetkov, Oleg Domichek
Group of Mikhail Shashilov: Irina Kasakevich, Tamara Derbusheva, Anastasia Shevchenko, Natalia Shevchenko, Anastasia Batmanova, Julia Sheller, Kira Dyusheva, Anna Gruchvina.
Artem Istomin’s group: Daniil Serokhvostov, Karim Khalili, Ekaterina Noskova, Elizaveta Kaplina, Ksenia Dovgaya, Alina Kudisova, Anastasia Goreeva, Natalia Gerbulova, Anastasia Zyryanova, Anastasia Grishina