“Concrete requests”
Eight-time Olympic champion should become biathlon president
May 11, 2026 – 9:32 a.mReading time: 1 min.
The term of office of IBU President Olle Dahlin is coming to an end this year. A legend of the sport is already being considered as his successor.
Former biathlon star Ole Einar Bjørndalen could become the new president of the International Biathlon Union (IBU). “Many national associations approached me and asked whether I was interested,” the Norwegian told the newspaper “Dagbladet” about a possible candidacy. “These are specific requests.”
The term of office of the current IBU President Olle Dahlin ends this year. The Swede has been at the head of the association since 2018. According to “Dagbladet”, the Slovenian Tim Farcnik is considered a hot candidate for the successor. But now Bjørndalen could suddenly come into focus.
For the 52-year-old to become the next president, he would have to be nominated by a national association. Only then can he stand for election at the IBU Congress. The conditions for this now appear to be in place. However, the ex-athlete did not want to reveal which nations were behind the requests to him.
Bjørndalen emphasized, however, that he had taken time to consider the possibility of running for office. He also explained that his primary motivation was the development of the sport. He wants to develop biathlon “in the best possible direction” and maximize “the potential and value of international biathlon”.
Today’s TV expert is the most successful biathlete in history at the Winter Olympics. Bjørndalen won eight Olympic gold medals as well as four silver and two bronze medals during his active career. In addition, there are 45 medals at world championships, twenty of them gold.
