Biathlon: Björndalen is supposed to go to Pyeongchang

The Norwegian biathlon superstar Ole Einar Björndalen is due to attend the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang (9. till 25. February) – but not as an athlete. The Belarusian Biathlon Association confirmed plans to take the 44-year-old man with him to South Korea in support of his wife Darya Domratschewa.

An application for accreditation of Björndalen to the International Olympic Committee is “as yet unanswered”, said the association’s spokeswoman Viktorija Tarasevich, of the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang.”The exact role he will play has not yet been decided, but he will certainly be a good help to Darja,”the spokeswoman continued.

The eight-time Olympic gold medallist had failed to meet the sporting criteria for his seventh games and therefore did not receive a ticket to South Korea from Norway’s Olympic Committee (Norges Idrettsforbund/NIF). His planned start at the European Championships in Ridnaun (until 28. January) he resigned this week because he did not feel sufficiently prepared.