U.S. Biathlon Moves Toward Merger with U.S. Ski & Snowboard

The U.S. Biathlon Association’s board will vote on a plan to bring biathlon under the governance of U.S. Ski & Snowboard (USSS). The proposal, developed since March after the sport’s continued failure to win an Olympic medal, would give biathlon access to USSS’s larger budget, athlete services and club-development resources. If approved, biathlon staff would transfer to USSS, the sport would retain its own funding streams, and the biathlon board would expand to include two USSS representatives while keeping two seats on the USSS board.

Associated Press

Biathlon’s budget stands at roughly $4 million with 1,407 members, far smaller than USSS’s $70 million budget and 40,000 members. The U.S. The sport’s lack of Olympic medals and its limited domestic popularity have intensified the search for new revenue sources.

Associated Press

USSS board member and cross-country ski Olympian Kikkan Randall highlighted the European market: “There’s a recognition of how big biathlon is in Europe. Being able to tap into that popularity and marketability is really intriguing.” US Biathlon CEO Jack Gierhart emphasized that the merger would allow clubs to obtain equipment and expand programs, describing the long-term implications as “profound” for growing the sport.

Associated Press

Long-time biathletes and supporters fear the sport could be eclipsed by larger disciplines such as Alpine skiing. Former board chair Bob Hall faces an ethics complaint alleging improper meeting procedures and a conflict of interest for board member Dexter Paine, who also serves on the USSS board. Critics cite past USSS cuts to U.S. ski jumping (2010) and Nordic combined (2014) as warning signs. Sports-law experts note that the 1978 Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act may complicate a merger because biathlon and USSS are governed by different international federations.

Associated Press

• “We feel that we can help take biathlon to the next level,” — USSS CEO Sophie Goldschmidt

Associated Press

• “There’s a recognition of how big biathlon is in Europe. Being able to tap into that popularity and marketability is really intriguing,” — Randall

Associated Press