Monzanator

Right, just so everyone thinks Poland is the outdated and conservative country which dislikes immigrants. The Economist states we've accepted more immigrants in the last two years than any other country in Europe (2m from Ukraine,36k from Nepal, 20k from India and 18k from Bangladesh). So much for us looking like xenophobic pricks. https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/02/22/poland-is-cocking-up-migration-in-a-very-european-way Obviously Ukrainians are our version of cheap labour, just like Poles are in Germany, Netherlands or pre-Brexit UK

Torn ACL in left knee. Season over. https://www.nachrichten.at/sport/wintersport/ski-alpin/reisinger-zog-sich-bei-schwerem-sturz-kreuzbandriss-zu;art73891,3230005

Don't think IBU will ever enforce which athlete is eligible to enter what event. What sport prevents its biggest stars in competing what events they like? I can only think of tennis where a Top 10 ranked player can only play two International-level tournaments per season.

The UEFA Euro hosted in multiple cities will be a one-off. Several countries dislike that idea. It was Michel Platini's brainchild and he's lost all credibility now. Soccer is popular enough to sustain future Euros in one or two countries instead of 16 cities. IBU is obviously independent to FIS so they can call their own shots and the ex-USSR market is being explored again. Estonia, Belarus and Latvia have build biathlon venues. Not to mention Poland has invested in Duszniki too. There are actually more venues being build all over Europe now so I see no chance the number goes down. Kontiolathi might fall off the calendar once Makarainen retires but that is all IMO.

IOC is clearly focused on milking money from the Asian market right now. Back-to-back WOG in Korea & China? That's no coincidence. They're trying to make winter sports work in China - the Secret Garden and that other venue which name escapes me. Let's make no mistake, IOC wants to cash in on all that money available from the Asian economic powerhouses. Hell, if there was snow in Qatar, Doha would be hosting the WOG too Winter sports have been traditionally successful in selected group of countries. Half of the world is excluded from taking part in WOG by default due to lack of snow. IOC can sell break dance for summer games but winter? They have to appease the traditional winter countries because there is no replacement for them. Africa ain't gonna take the WOG by storm. Hell, IAAF hasn't managed to host the senior World Champs in Africa yet despite this being a natural stronghold for athletics ever since the colonial era ended.

You've offended me enough with the "Poles are racist pricks" comment. Stop playing the victim/political card. You've ruined this thread enough already.

Stop feeding this troll. He will blow up this thread and leave nothing but ashes

I absolutely can't read this guy anymore. He's ruined this thread like no other. I'm done with him

Gender equality is used in political campaigns all over the world. Who are you kidding here? We're not a bunch of 10 years olds to buy this as a sport-only question. I see you believe politicians don't have enough power in this world already. George Orwell would be proud of the political control you're trying to enforce in this thread

Speaking of Wolverhampton - again - they just trashed Espanyol 4-0 in the first leg of Last 32! Talk about a major turnaround, they were stuck in the Championship for years during my childhood and then perenially battled relegation under Mick McCarthy in the EPL. Look at them now! Who says Chinese money is bad for business?

Thankfully politicians won't make these decisions. It's enough power of them if they control law making, finances and trade market all over the world already. Sport should be free of this political bickering. You should post this in the Politics Thread under science-fiction tag and leave the Biathlon Thread to well... biathlon!

You'd need to split the tournament into group stage because when everyone plays everyone it's impossible to have more quotas. 11 matches before the medal round is more than enough, hell there was enough controversy with Asia becoming a force when a world class team like Japan didn't qualify for the Worlds once (when they won silver medal in the previous edition IIRC) so Europe had to lose one spot in order to fit the Asian market. @dcro is spot on with his take. Big teams will eventually continue to dominate the smaller nations regardless of the intentions.

Polish TV broadcasts the endurace races so there are enough snowy landscapes there too. It's obvious Tour de Ski has lost its juice so FIS had to come up with a new Tour located in Norway because it's the only country where people actually follow cc these days. I haven't watched a single World Cup race since the 2019 Nordic WCh and it seems like the next time I'm gonna watch one will be the 2021 Nordic WCh

Shooting also matters in the individual - even more so than single mixed relay - and you're not a fan of that format so I don't get your logic at all

Yeah, the classic relay at least forces nations to have some depth on the team. Single mixed relay means shit. It's male & female alpha where one penalty loop kills your chances. In classic relays teams have won it with multiple penalty loops before.

She doesn't get the coverage Lindsey Vonn had tbh. I bet Chloe Kim is more popular in the USA than Shiffrin right now. Then again, XFL games get more viewers than alpine skiing. Nobody's watching alpine skiing in the USA if Shiffrin is not at start IMO.

In a season without World Champs or Olympics? Then she could have skipped the entire season alltogether

IOC runs the show though. Biathlon already has 11 events spread across 14 days. They doubled teamed individuals and pursuit on the same day already. Unlike cross country or alpine skiing the best athletes do not skip some events on purpose here. And who's gonna field a B line-up for an Olympic event now to hope for a better shot in the individual races?

Winning the overall World Cup is still pretty important?

Only if they remove the individual alltogether. Again, it's down to the leverage by the big nations. If single mixed relay becomes a Germany/Norway/France/Italy/Russia/Sweden playground then it doesn't make any sense other than rich getting richer. Poland once won a WC medal in the defunct team event and it hasn't translated to any success for our relay over the long run either.

As is often the case though, there are these sponsors and other crap to consider. It's not like USA has another global alpine skiing star now that Vonn has retired.

It's not a question how many like it but if the big nations like it. If they do then it's a wrap and the single mixed relay is here to stay. I don't think it happens at the WOG, two relays is too much tbh.

5 Norwegians in Top 6 for women and 8 Norwegians in the Top 12 for men. I wonder who the hell is watching this crap outside of Norway?

No surprise here, I said Ofterschwang is the place where she could come back. If she misses that then she's given up on the season alltogether IMO.

Estonia would probably disagree with you But it could be an exception from the rule. Any team event favors the big nations by default