The Bulgarian biathlete Krasimir Anev remains in intensive care in serious condition, according to dir.bg. The 36 year old was found in the Drenov Dol dam area near Kyustendil, Bulgaria, on November 1. Police report that Anev sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen. He is currently in a medically induced coma, with doctors describing his condition as serious but stable.
Anev has a notable track record as a biathlete. He won the 2019 European Championship in the individual event and earned multiple medals at European Championships and Universiades. He represented his country at three Olympic Games in 2014, 2010, and 2018. Anev ended his professional biathlon career at the age of 33 after the 2019/20 season.
In 2022 the International Biathlon Union IBU announced a policy allowing Belarusian and Russian biathletes to compete at World Cup events and IBU stages only as neutral athletes. In response, Russian athletes opted out of competitions at the end of the 2021/22 season. The policy was extended indefinitely in September 2022. In the following season Russians took part only in domestic events, while biathletes from Belarus were invited to increase competition.
Earlier reports mentioned Milevsky, a former Ukrainian national team football player, who was reported to be in a coma.