1ST LEAD US, Czech teams to boycott biathlon World Cup finals in Russia By Thomas Wolfer, dpa

Pyeongchang, South Korea (dpa) - The United States and the Czech Republic won‘t send its athletes to the biathlon World Cup finals next month at the Russian venue of Tyumen in protest at doping practices in the country.The US biathlon federation said in a statement Saturday at the Pyeongchang Olympics it was boycotting the March 22-25 event in protest at the decision by ruling body the IBU to hold it there despite the doping saga.The statement called the IBU decision from earlier in the month "completely unacceptable" and added: "In support of clean sport and our own physical safety, we cannot in good conscience participate."With Russia still being out of compliance with the WADA Code, with threats of physical harm to athletes who travel to Russia, with six athletes already sanctioned by IBU and the IOC from the 2014 Olympic season and another case awaiting a decision, holding the World Cup Final in Russia now sends an outrageous message of anti-doping indifference to the world," the statement said.Russians are competing as neutrals in South Korea and hope for reinstatement for Sunday‘s closing ceremony despite two athletes being caught doping.Tyumen was stripped of the 2021 world championships and the 2017 World Cup event over the affair but the IBU decided in Pyeongchang to go ahead with the World Cup finals.Czech star Gabriela Koukalova, sidelined with injury this season, had called for harsher sanctions against Russia, and her federation has now also decided not to travel to the World Cup event next month."We want to save face," the CTK news agency on Saturday quoted national federation chief Jiri Hamza as saying in Pyeongchang.Canada said last year they would stay away while the German federation is leaving the final decision to its athletes."It is clear that we will go there, that we won‘t boycott. But if one or another athlete doesn‘t want to go then the decision is up to them," German ski federation president Franz Steinle said Saturday.