Dear Biathlon Family Australia,

Safety is a shared responsibility involving all our members from individuals, to coaches, to range safety officers, and to event organisers. The Whiskey Flat Range Safety Standing Orders draw our members’ attention to the IBU Event and Competition rules, Art. 8.5 that relate to safety. Article 8.5 highlights, amongst other things, that after shooting “All ammunition must be removed from both the stock and the magazines” (8.5.2.1 and 8.5.5). See IBU Safety Regulations extract:

8.5 Safety Regulations

8.5.1 General

When a rifle is brought into or is taken out of the stadium area, it must be in a case or a cover bag. Shooting is only permitted on the shooting range, during officially authorized times. Making rifle movements that might endanger others or the competitors themselves, regardless of whether the rifle is loaded or not, is forbidden. Situations considered as safe are: carrying the rifle on the back or having the bolt open. The rifle muzzle must be over the forward edge of the shooting ramp (firing line) from the beginning to the end of the shooting bout. At no time while being on the mat it is allowed for the athlete to deliberately point the rifle muzzle towards him/herself or others. When the range is open for shooting, no one (with no part of the body) is permitted to be forward of that line. Officials, TV crew members and photographers must take responsibility for their own safety if they enter this area. At all times, competitors will be responsible for the safety of their actions and rifles.

8.5.2 Loading and Unloading

After starting in a competition, it is forbidden to open the bolt or remove a magazine from the stock or magazine-well except when stopped on the shooting mat. Rifles may be loaded and unloaded only with the barrel pointing in the direction of the targets or up. Inserting a magazine containing bullets into the rifle is also part of the loading procedure. When moving from one shooting lane to another, competitors must first unload their rifle and place the rifle on their back in the normal carrying position with both arms in the rifle carrying harness.

8.5.2.1 Safety Check after Shooting

Rifles must be unloaded after each shooting bout – that is, no round may be left in the chamber or in the inserted magazine. However, competitors are permitted to leave the cartridge case in the chamber and the empty magazine in the rifle after the last shot. At the end of training and competitions, all rifles must be safety checked by opening the bolt and removing the inserted magazine, with the barrel pointed toward the target or upward. All ammunition must be removed from both the stock and the magazines.

8.5.3 Aimed Shots

All shots must be aimed and fired at the targets only.

8.5.4 Removing and shouldering of Rifle on the Range

Competitors may not remove a strap of their rifle carrying harness from their shoulder before they have reached the shooting lane/shooting mat from which they will be shooting and must put the rifle back with both arms in the rifle carrying harness before leaving the shooting lane/shooting mat.

8.5.5 Safety at the Finish

At all IBU competitions, there must be one or more official(s) at the end of the finish area to open the rifle action of every competitor. This check may only be performed when the rifles are pointing upwards. At the same time, the official will inspect the cartridge case ejected from the chamber. If this safety check is not done, the competitors must do it themselves. All ammunition must be removed from the stock and the magazines.

Remember, safety is everyone’s responsibility. We look forward to a rewarding and incident free season ahead for all.

See you back on the range and trails soon.

David, Sandy, Brett, Libby, Katerina, Mark and Murray