The giant trembles: “The entire biathlon world needs Germany”

On the last day of the Olympic Games in Italy, the German superstar Franziska Preuß thanked.

The 2026 Olympic Games also marked the farewell to a decades-long series of successes in German biathlon at championships.

In the first mixed relay there was German bronze. But biathlon-loving Germany, in many ways the center of the sport, missed out on all the individual medals.

As part of the Olympic Games It was the first time since 1976 that Germany did not win an individual medal. Nothing like this has happened at the World Cup since 1996.

– To put it simply: “We are of course not satisfied,” summarized Felix Bitterling, sports director at the German Ski Association (DSV), which also includes biathlon, to the German Eurosport.

However, the collective boom did not end there. When the World Cup started again without last year’s winner Preuß, the German women responded last week with their worst relay ever (16th). And in the so-called Nations Cup of the World Cup, the women’s national team is in danger of being pushed out of a place in the top five next season by Finland or the Czech Republic – and thus falling from six to five starting places.

It may seem so A German problem.

But the fact is that the German failure, if it continues like this, could have consequences for the entire sport.

– The entire biathlon world needs Germany, says Sweden’s German head coach Johannes Lukas.

It depends on interest, millions of viewers and money.

How important are German successes for sport as a whole?

– It is very important. We are all fully aware of this. Just look at all the sponsors in the biathlon circus left and right, says Johannes Lukas.

– Then there are still brutally good numbers (viewers and spectators) in Germany. Biathlon is still the number one winter sport there. But it is clear that if things are to continue like this, it is important to get back to a better level.

Sweden’s former Biathlon star Magdalena Forsberg can only agree.

– Everyone in biathlon is aware of this, so you’re a little happy when they’re doing well! She says about Germany.

– It is important that the sport receives money and sponsors, and in the past there were many German companies. Then there’s nothing wrong with companies from other countries not being able to take part, but you’re used to being able to count on Germany.

Especially on the women’s side Germany has been lined up with top names for years: Uschi Disl, Kati Wilhelm, Magdalena Neuner, Laura Dahlmeier, Denise Herrmann-Wick…

Franziska Preuß’ World Cup title last winter was “a bit of artificial ventilation,” says Magdalena Forsberg. When Preuss had a worse season this winter and also gave up, a gap was created that already existed among the men.

“Germany has been spoiled by very talented biathletes over the years,” says Forsberg, a six-time world champion between 1997 and 2001.

– But among women there was no natural replacement for Preuss. They have high hopes for (20-year-old) Julia Tannheimer. They hope that names will come from below, but the question is how long the German public can wait for it.

Already before the Olympic Games It is clear that German sports director Felix Bitterling is leaving his post after this season to work at the International Biathlon Federation.

On Wednesday, Bernd Eisenbichler, who had previously held the office, was introduced as his successor. He has a big task ahead of him, not least with a view to the 2030 Olympic Games.

Crisis headlines have appeared in the German press. But the outgoing Bitterling says on ZDF that he “doesn’t want to predict the downfall of biathlon.”

Germany was close Philipp Nawrath was in third place in the World Cup sprint in several Olympic races on Thursday and there are bright spots for the future – not least on the women’s side with Tannheimer (fifth best in the World Cup) and 21-year-old Selina Grotian (a win last year).

– But at the Olympics we were missing that last bit, especially in skiing, where a gap arose between us and the best in the world. This must not happen again at the next championship.

Germany has a lack of women an “intermediate generation” that can give the talents peace, says Sweden coach Johannes Lukas. But Lukas, who comes from the German junior biathlon and lives in Munich, does not want to describe the situation as a “crisis”.

“I don’t think crisis is the right word, because you have a crisis when you don’t have a way out,” he tells DN.

– There are active people who can quickly get out of this situation. But maybe it would also work well with a little new structure and a clear plan.

There is no one It is a bold assumption that the German association was interested in the successful 32-year-old. But last weekend Johannes Lukas announced that he would remain with the Swedish national team for four more years.

“Biathlon coach gives DSV the basket,” was the headline on the German sports site Sport.

Now that you’re done with the sequel in Sweden, can you say whether you’ve moved to Germany?

– I won’t go into detail about the country, but I can definitely say that I spoke to different countries. “I don’t actually find it strange,” says Lukas.

For Germany The coach believes that analyzes will be the focus in the spring. Resources are available, but:

– You basically have to check everything. But they will do it, he says and laughs:

– They are Germans, they will have meetings throughout April, turning and turning over every stone.

Before that – this weekend in Otepää and next week in Oslo – the Finnish and Czech biathletes hope to overtake the Germans in the national cup.

Biathlon likes to emphasize that there are many nations at the top. If you turn it around, is there something positive and challenging in Finland and the Czech Republic?

– In any case, it is positive for interest if more people take part, says Johannes Lukas.

– But the fact is that most of the sponsorship money and the highest TV numbers come from Germany. So maybe it’s not exactly Germany that you want to leave when someone else enters.

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