Biathlon-Rifles, bullets and borders - how biathletes transport their firearms on the competitive circuit

ANTERSELVA, ITALY, Feb 12 : With bulky equipment and clothing to carry, travelling is always tough for snow-sport competitors, but spare a thought for the biathletes, who have to transport their rifles across borders on an almost weekly basis on the World Cup circuit.

When not being used for training or competition at the Milano Cortina Olympics, Italy's gun laws mean that the .22-calibre rifles must be kept locked away at the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena in the north of the country. 

Swedish biathlon team shooting coach Johan Hagstroem says the rules are getting more and more strict. 

"It's getting harder and harder to travel with weapons," he told Reuters on the shooting range at the Olympic venue as the men's team practised in the background.

The crack of the Swedish team's rifles was followed either by a ping from a target hit successfully 50 metres away, or the slightly duller thud of a shot landing wide of the mark. 

"Every rifle has its own passport, just like you and I have a passport, and that passport must travel together with the owner and the rifle. It must be done that way, and within the EU it is quite easy to show only that passport," he said. 

"Every athlete has their own rifle and they must travel with it, and if you have it packed in a case, it must be a hard one that should be locked."

Hagstroem and his athletes have to be very conscious of security and differing rules and laws in the different countries in which they train and compete. 

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The International Biathlon Union (IBU) issues regular guidance to the teams informing them of any changes in legislation in the different places they visit. 

"It depends on the country you are in - in Italy, the rifles are locked in the stadium, so each