The Norwegian Sturla Laegreid, five-time biathlon world champion, was excluded from the mass start in Lenzerheide (Switzerland), scheduled for this Sunday at 2:45 p.m., for having violated safety rules, announced the International Federation (IBU), in a communicated. The decision was made following a “rifle incident in the Norwegian team hotel, where a shot was fired during dry firing,” she explained.
Dry firing is a simulation of shooting carried out quite regularly by biathletes with their rifle, without ammunition in the weapon. They normally use empty magazines, Laegreid’s obviously contained an inadvertently loaded cartridge.
“A stark reminder of the importance of safety routines”
No one was injured in the incident, which was reported immediately by the Norwegian team. The Biathlon Integrity Unit and Swiss authorities have opened an investigation and will decide on possible further sanctions, the IBU said.
“I very deeply regret this incident and apologize to the entire biathlon family, my teammates and the hotel owner. “It’s a stark reminder for me and other biathletes of the importance of safety routines,” said Laegreid, quoted in the IBU press release.
The Norwegian took 3rd place in the Lenzerheide pursuit on Saturday afternoon, and occupies 3rd place in the general classification of the Biathlon World Cup.