To the US Biathlon Board of Directors,
Thank you for the time, care, and dedication you have invested in supporting US Biathlon. We
recognize the significant commitment required to sustain our organization and develop the sport in
the United States. Your support makes our success possible and your efforts are sincerely
appreciated by athletes.
It is because we share your commitment to the long-term success of biathlon that we feel it is
imperative to approach the proposed merge with US Ski & Snowboard thoughtfully, carefully, and
with the athlete voice in mind. Athlete feedback regarding the proposed merge has been remarkably
consistent since athletes were first notified of the proposal three weeks ago. Across surveys, town
halls, and conversations, athletes have expressed significant concern regarding the current terms of
the merge agreement. In a survey of top US senior and junior biathletes, 93% of respondents
indicated they were concerned or fully opposed to the merge.
The strongest concerns raised by athletes relate to long-term athlete support and funding
stability, athlete voice in governance, and the preservation of US Biathlon's culture and identity
within a much larger organization. Underlying these concerns is a fear of loss in organizational
priority. Currently, our independence protects US Biathlon since organizational leadership is
singularly focused on our sport and puts our pursuit of success in biathlon above all else. Athletes
have repeatedly cited examples from other smaller sports within US Ski & Snowboard where support,
visibility, and influence diminished over time and many athletes believe US Biathlon would succumb
to a similar fate should the merge proceed. These fears are justified as the current terms of the
merge agreement commit to maintaining current levels of athlete support for only four years.
The conversation surrounding the merge has been heavily centered around funding. While
important, funding should not be the only motivator of this decision, and it is essential to do our
due diligence by considering other possibilities for addressing funding concerns within the
organization. The mission of US Biathlon includes the objectives of growing the biathlon community
in the US, developing athletes with integrity, and achieving international and Olympic success.
Nesting our sport within a non-specific biathlon organization would fail to preserve our commitment
to prioritizing success in biathlon and impede our ability to achieve success on the international
stage. Forcing a merge without the support of the biathlon community would demonstrate a lack of
integrity. Community input, independence, and autonomy are foundational in driving progress within
our organization. Our NGB should be highly responsive to the needs of the athletes and the
challenges specific to our sport, which a large conglomerate like USSS would be unable to do.
Given these concerns, we respectfully request that members of the Board of Directors vote NO
to the proposed merge, in alignment with the athlete position. In its current form, the proposed
merge agreement fails to address major concerns raised by the US Biathlon community and lacks
clarity surrounding future governance, funding protections, and organizational structure. We
recommend, at a minimum, slowing the timeline of any final decision until these details are better
understood and direct athlete feedback is incorporated into the terms of the agreement. Additional
time would also allow for an exploration of alternative pathways that could strengthen US Biathlon
while preserving our independence and identity.
The level of athlete feedback and engagement throughout this process reflects how deeply
athletes care about this organization. We value what has been built within US Biathlon and want to
protect the aspects of the organization that are working well while also considering opportunities
for growth. We are sharing the athlete perspective respectfully. Our intention is not to resist change
for the sake of resisting change, but to advocate for the long-term health of the sport and ensure the
athlete voice is considered in such a significant proposed change for the organization.
Thank you for your time, your service to the sport, and your willingness to listen to athlete
perspectives. We look forward to collaborating with you to continue to strengthen our organization
and achieve success at the highest levels of biathlon competition.
Sincerely,
US Biathlon AAC Athlete Representatives
Governance requires process.
