The American biathlete called on the Norwegians to boycott the World Cup in Tyumen

The American biathlete Lowell Bailey expressed indignation by the decision of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) to hold the final stage of the World Cup in Tyumen and called on Norwegian athletes to support the boycott of the competitions that will be held from March 22 to 25.

“The Czech Republic, Canada and the USA has already announced a boycott. Norwegians, take a tough position, and others will follow you. Without bold actions, IBU will go away with corruption, ignore the interests of athletes and refuse to protect net sports,” Bailey wrote on Twitter .

The biathlon of Norway said that she would not boycott the competition until all leading countries do the same.

Earlier, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) decided to leave the World Cup in Tyumen and the stages of the IBU Cup in Uvat (March 10-11) and Khanty-Mansiysk (March 14-17) according to the planned calendar, but the status of the Union of Biathlonists of Russia (SBR) was reduced to a temporary membership.

On February 24, the Biathlon Federation of the USA officially announced the boycott of the Russian stage for the sake of purity of sports, calling the competition in Tyumen "outrageous demonstration to the world of anti -doping indifference."

The initiative was supported by the Czech Republic , whose team would not speak at the final stage of the World Cup, despite possible losses. The absence of representatives of countries can lead to a reduction in the national quota for the next season.

The biathlonists of the Canadian national team made such a decision in December .

Communications Director of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Mark Adams, commenting on the decision of the US Biathlon Federation, noted that such actions do not bring result.

"The boycottes bring little. President of the IOC Thomas Bach at one time because of the boycott himself could not take part in the Olympic Games and lost the chance to defend the title," he said.

The Russian commentator Dmitry Guberniev reacted to Bailey, instead of the Norwegians, instead of the Norwegians.

"Ah, what a firm fellow American biathleticist Lowell Bailey! He called on the Norwegians to join the boycott of the stage in Tyumen! Say, we must be tougher Norwegians! Bailey - we admire the Americans not to use the services of the ISS and leave the UN Security Council, there are also Russians, dear Bailey, we are waiting for new bright statements from The Americans, the Canadians! Bless you again , the holy boycott!

Lowell Bailey is the only biathlon champion in the US history and the only man from North America who won the world of the world of Biathlon. At the 2017 planet championship, he was the first in an individual race.