Adopted at the Extraordinary Congress 2019, the IBU’s strategic plan Target 26 reached its halfway point at the IBU Congress 2022 in Salzburg (see the status report here). Following the first three years of implementation, this is an ideal time to take stock of the progress of implementation so far and review needs for adjustment of direction and focus.

To ensure the involvement of the key stakeholders in the process, the National Federations, the IBU has launched a series of “Regional Meetings“ with the entire membership. The goal of these meetings is to provide an opportunity for direct feedback on the first phase of Target 26, and to gain an in-depth understanding of the national sport development structures and capability to realize the IBU’s strategic objective for 2030 which is to double the number of athletes, especially the youth.

Starting in Copenhagen, Denmark the IBU met with eight National Federations from the Northern Europe region from 10-11 November. The interactive workshop saw the NF representatives to present their current national structure and programs for managing and organizing biathlon in their countries, and to share their challenges and opportunities for growing biathlon within their countries and globally. The meeting in Copenhagen was followed by a meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, from 14-15 November with four NFs from the Central Europe - East region.

Over the course of the series of Regional Meetings the IBU seeks to identify best practices and concrete measures for supporting national infrastructure and sport development in the best possible way.

The next meeting will take place with 7 federations from the Eastern European region during the Youth and Junior World Championships in Schuchinsk, Kazhakstan in March 2023.