“I perfectly understood where I was going and with whom”: Maigurov was elected the new president of the SBR

An extraordinary conference of the Russian Biathlon Union was held in Khimki, Moscow Region, during which elections for the new president of the RBU were held. By the decision of the delegates from the regional federations, the only candidate for this post was Victor Maigurov. He replaced Vladimir Drachev, who left the post the day before and refused to participate in the elections.

To win, Maigurov needed to get the votes of three quarters of the delegates, that is, to enlist the support of at least 34 of the 45 people who participated in the reporting and election conference. As a result, the candidacy of the two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion was unanimously supported.

Immediately after the election of the head of the RRF, a new organization board was formed. Its composition was reduced from ten to seven people. Voting took place according to the list proposed by Maigurov, and five former members remained in it - the newly elected president of the SBR, Alexey Nuzhdov, Yuri Vekshin, Andrey Levunin and Ivan Cherezov. They were joined by an international category judge Ivan Melikhov and executive director of the Saratov Biathlon Federation Sergey Lityak.

Maigurov was elected for a four-year term, and the new board of the RRF will work until 2022. Its first meeting in an updated composition should be held in the middle of next week. On it, in particular, the issue will be resolved with the vice-presidents of the organization.

After the election, Maigurov assured that he would first of all try to establish work with regional federations, as well as solve the financial problems of the SBR. Earlier, the Minister of Sports of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Pavel Rostovtsev in an interview with RT indicated that the former leadership had lost contact with the regions.

“Today, many questions were from the regions that the connection with them was lost. We will hold the first meeting of the RRF Council in September, where we will discuss their activities. He promised that in a year he would convene a conference again to amend the charter. There are real debts, but they are not so critical. I perfectly understood where I was going and with whom, ”Maigurov told RIA Novosti.

One of the tasks that Maigurov also has to fulfill will be the return of the SBR to full membership in the IBU, which the organization was deprived of in 2017. Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin, who was present at the conference, wished the Union not to repeat the fate of the All-Russian Athletics Federation, which is now in a deep crisis.

“I would not like to compare and draw parallels with VFLA. These are different conflict stories. I hope that in biathlon we will avoid the same crisis that we are now witnessing in relations between the VFLA and World Athletics. I repeat once again, we need to build a dialogue with the international community. We must be responsible to ourselves, ”said Matytsin.

Maigurov admitted that he could not quickly restore the membership of the RRF. This issue largely depends on the status of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), which has not yet been determined due to ongoing disagreements with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

“Hand on heart, I think that this is unlikely to happen in November, since we depend on the hearings between RUSADA and WADA. One of the criteria for the restoration of the RRF is the status of our anti-doping agency. All other criteria can be met. But, most likely, everything will remain in limbo. There are also plans to hold a working meeting with IBU management. Perhaps we will find some compromises, ”added Maigurov.

Vladimir Drachev, who left the post of president of the SBR, noted that for two years he had been trying to carry out his work in good faith, but now he should focus on his main activities in the State Duma.

“It was a difficult decision. When you give all your heart and soul to your favorite sport, and then the moment of choice comes. The State Duma has a lot of work. It was decided together with his colleagues to leave the post. The whole package of directions in biathlon, which must be completed, is very complex. At the moment, nothing is being solved. When I came in 2018, I realized that it would be very difficult here. I am sure that in 2022 there will be more candidates. Now we need to pick up a sport and bring it to the Olympics, ”said the former head of the RRF.

Drachev added that he managed to pay off his debts to employees of the organization before his departure. At the same time, he complained that he could not correct the mistakes of his predecessors, in which the organization lost its full membership in the IBU.

“Until the 31st day I paid off all debts, payments were made. We have small debts to people who continue to work. Gazprom will continue to cooperate with the RBU. Also, the Ministry of Sports is doing a great job in providing support. I do not see big problems in front of the RBU. The state of the organization is stable. Biathlon is a lively sport. The main thing that I did not have time to do is that they could not convince the IBU. We did not bring the federation into such a state, but our team had to pay money for two years. These funds would help us a lot in financing national teams, regions, purchasing cartridges and equipment, ”said Drachev.

IBU President Olle Dalin congratulated Maigurov on his election and noted his managerial experience in the international federation.

“As a two-time Olympic medalist and former vice president of IBU, Victor has the experience of both an athlete and a sports administrator, which will be invaluable to the SBR. We look forward to working closely with Victor and his team to build on the progress made in reforming the Russian biathlon, ”said a TASS official.

“Further work is necessary, but we are confident that the necessary changes will be made to ensure the protection of pure athletes and the restoration of the RRF as a full member of the IBU,” he added.

From a positive point of view, Maigurov was also described by world champion Anton Shipulin, who expressed confidence that the new president would remove biathlon in Russia from the crisis.

“Ahead is a huge amount of work in a very difficult time for the Russian biathlon. I am sure that Viktor Viktorovich will make every possible effort to bring the native sport for all of us out of the crisis. His managerial experience, especially in the International Biathlon Union, his business and personal qualities, will help him in this matter. I congratulate him on this appointment and wish him success in his new position! ” - Shipulin wrote in his Instagram.