With the beginning of the 2023/24 season, the Biathlon World Association IBU banned the use of fluorine-containing wax. In Russia, the environmental mixture is still used today. The changeover is only now being driven slowly.
Russia’s biathletes continue to travel around a year and a half after the fluorine ban came into force with the environmentally harmful wax. This was confirmed by chief technician Mikhail Koloskov in an interview with the broadcaster “Match TV”.
“We have no fluorine ban with us, all teams still use the old wax. So far, all waxes with little or a lot of fluorine have been using,” said Koloskov.
Biathlon association tests its own wax mixture
According to the technician, the tests with fluor-free wax are only slowly starting. This is made in our factories, explained Koloskov, the insured person that the Russian manufacturers are now given “piece by piece” the order to change their production.
A comparison between your own and a fluorine-free wax of a European manufacturer is running these days. “We don’t have the results yet, but I think everything will be fine,” the chief technician is convinced that his team can soon convert to the new wax.
Russia’s biathletes “ready for all challenges”
Should the Russian biathlon team want to return to the World Cup, it would also be necessary. Since the beginning of the 2023/24 season, fluorine wax has been banned in all IBU competitions. The mixture is not only considered carcinogenic, but also as very environmentally harmful because it does not break down in a natural way.
“We can prepare for everything at any time. No problem. If we take part in international competitions, we will be ready for all challenges,” said Koloskov, whose team was excluded by all IBU competitions after the attack on Ukraine started. since then keeps the operation going within its own national borders.