Easy to cheat - according to Swedish election tests: "Can be a bigger problem than doping"

For several years, there has been an agreement on a total ban on fluoride in the biathlon and biathlon sports.

Both with the environment in mind and out of consideration for herding staff.

In addition, there are EU regulations on fluoride bans in society.

The International Biathlon Federation (IBU) has already decided on a total ban for next season.

The International Ski Federation (Fis) can make the same decision at the congress in Milan on 26 May.

A working group is now working on the issue, which will be presented to the board.

Fis recently informed on its website about the status of the control device.

It stated, among other things, that "the unit provides reliable tests to ensure fluorine-free competitions, which will help to ensure fair competitions and a level playing field".

Other reality

But some of Sweden's foremost wall experts give a different picture.

Three weeks ago, the dikes in the Swedish biathlon and biathlon national teams tested the machine that is to be used to check that the rules are followed.

Johan Wåhlström, development manager for the wall team in the Swedish biathlon national team, says that they used banned fluoride wall.

- The idea was to try to fool the system and see the shortcomings in the equipment, says Wåhlström about the tests in Bruksvallarna.

TT: Did you manage to cheat?

- Yes, it was quite simple.

At present, we are not where we should be, Johan Wåhlström answers.

Petter Myhlback, the Swedish national ski team's election manager, agrees:

- They have not presented a finished product.

They are not in line with development.

"Surprised"

Johan Wåhlström is disappointed that the development has not come any further.

- We had hoped and believed that we would be further ahead after three years.

TT: How do you see IBU and Fis saying that they have a reliable control system, while your tests show otherwise?

- We were a little surprised.

We wanted more out of the machine.

But we do not know when they can solve the problems that arise.

Then maybe we can be ashore, it did not feel like that now.

- There is concern for the active that we will not be allowed to compete under fair conditions.

We have seen this winter that there are nations that have been prone to cheating by using the wrong products even though they were not allowed to use it.

The IBU base is safe

IBU chairman Olle Dahlin now tells TT:

- We feel safe with the equipment itself and the measurement methods.

The decision (on a fluoride ban) has been made.

TT: Even though tests show that it is possible to cheat.

And that the control device is not enough?

- This is where we try to learn now and the loopholes that may exist and to close.

We work with that.

The control device and fluorine measurement, and all this, work.

TT: Why then do the reports come from the wall team's tests which show that the control machine does not work and is not fully developed?

- That is not our opinion.

What I am saying is that we are working to block where people are trying to deceive the system.

Mats Årjes is a member of Fi's board.

When TT talks about the Swedish criticism of the lack of control, he says:

- If you want to implement rules, you must be able to check compliance.

Otherwise it's crazy.

I have not received the last report from these tests.

But there is no interest from Fis in implementing a rule that can not be controlled.