by Latvian biathlete Andrejs Rastorgujevs has officially announced the premature end of his season following surgery on his arm. The injury was sustained during a physical altercation with Latvian national team coach Ilmars Bricis at the Biathlon World Championships in Switzerland.
The 36-year-old athlete suffered a fractured finger during a conflict with 54-year-old Bricis, necessitating surgery, which was successfully performed on Thursday, February 27. Rastorgujevs confirmed the conclusion of his 2024/25 season via Instagram, stating: “A finger is broken, but not Andrey. Thank you all for your support.” He added that he would be unable to train for at least four weeks.
Despite his withdrawal, the biathlon season continues, with three World Cup stages remaining. The next event will take place in the Czech Republic from March 6 to 9, followed by competitions in Slovenia and Norway. The season is set to conclude on March 23.
On February 24, Rastorgujevs informed Latvian Television that the altercation with Bricis occurred during the World Championships, where he sustained injuries. Sportindepth covered that incident recently. The Latvian Biathlon Federation (LBF) and Bricis both acknowledged the incident, with the coach attributing the conflict to the athlete.
The dispute allegedly began when Rastorgujevs accused a service team member of stealing his skis. According to Bricis’ wife, biathlete Baiba Bendika, Rastorgujevs claimed the theft had occurred a year prior. The service team denied the allegation, pointing out that the skis belonged to Fischer, and any supposed theft was an old issue. Rastorgujevs later clarified on social media that he received new evidence on February 20 from a witness who allegedly saw the theft and overheard a conversation related to it. However, he denied directly accusing the service workers, contrary to Bricis’ claims.
Following the altercation, Bricis submitted his resignation to the Latvian Olympic Union, which was accepted. The Latvian biathlon team will now complete the season without him. Meanwhile, the LBF has launched an additional investigation to determine the validity of the ski theft allegations, emphasizing that any claims must be substantiated with evidence and referred to law enforcement under Latvian law.
The Latvian State Police have received a formal complaint about the conflict and have initiated their own investigation.
Past Complaints Against Bricis Surface
This controversy has sparked further revelations, with several Latvian biathletes confirming to Latvian Television (LTV) that they had previously reported Bričis for inappropriate behavior as a coach. The conflict with Rastorgujevs has renewed scrutiny of Bricis’ leadership style, prompting inquiries into past grievances.
Rastorgujevs maintains that the dispute originated from his concerns over the missing skis, an issue he raised with the federation during the championship but claims were ignored for several days. Equipment manager Reinis Korsūnovs backed Bričis, asserting that all skis were accounted for and that their transportation arrangements had been standard procedure. However, Rastorgujevs countered by pointing out that ski markings using QR codes were only introduced this year, whereas previous tracking methods were unreliable, making equipment misplacement possible. He also noted that missing gear had been an occasional issue in the team, citing an instance last year when ski poles worth 500 euros disappeared.
Former Biathlon Federation Secretary General Anna Jermolajeva weighed in on the dispute via Facebook, stating that Bričis had previously been suspected of equipment mismanagement. LTV also reported that Rastorgujevs had attempted to inform the LBF about the stolen skis but was met with inaction.
Despite claims from athletes that past complaints about Bricis’ behavior were submitted to both the LBF and the International Biathlon Union (IBU) Integrity Unit, LBF President Kaspars Sakniņš denied receiving any such reports. Meanwhile, IBU Integrity Head Gregg Makena declined to confirm or deny their existence.
The IBU has acknowledged receiving a complaint from the LBF regarding the altercation between Bricis and Rastorgujevs and is seeking explanations from both parties. If disciplinary action is taken, it will target individuals rather than the entire Latvian team. With Rastorgujevs’ season now over, his absence may negatively impact Latvia’s overall ranking and quota allocation for the next biathlon season.
