After 16 years with the Norwegian biathlon team, including his last role as sports director, he was appointed assistant sports director for the athletics team. Now, he aims to elevate Lithuania’s biathletes to the highest level.

Per Arne Botnan has certainly not been idle since stepping down as sports director for the Norwegian biathlon team. However, it came as a surprise when the Lithuanian Biathlon Federation announced that they have engaged Botnan for their national team.

This is a team that has previously only had leaders from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Belarus. This is one reason why many are raising their eyebrows at the involvement of a man who has been associated with the Norwegian biathlon team for 16 years.

“One of the ‘world’s best biathlon specialists’ has already been connected to our team as an advisor since the beginning of July,” the Lithuanian Biathlon Federation writes on Facebook.

“We hope Per Arne can show us something different from what we have seen in recent years, so that our results improve. We have reached a level where we see that the methods we have used so far no longer yield progress,” explained Lithuania’s federation president Arūnas Daugirdas regarding Botnan’s appointment.

Botnan himself stated that he accepted the position in Lithuania because he wants to share the knowledge he has gained through his successful years in Norway with a smaller biathlon nation.

“There is no great secret to the path to success. The most important thing is to have a good structure, and for each athlete, along with the team and coaches, to take responsibility for their own development,” he said. He added that if everyone pulls in the same direction, it is “certainly possible to elevate the level of the Lithuanian athletes.”

Botnan announced earlier this spring that he was stepping down after more than two decades with the Norwegian biathlon team. Over the years, he held several different roles within the Norwegian Biathlon Federation, including serving as a coach for two winter seasons. Botnan is considered one of the key figures behind Norway’s development into the world’s leading biathlon nation.

In Lithuania, Botnan will help develop the athletes’ performance levels, assist with sports strategy, and strengthen the organization surrounding the Lithuanian national team. He has already participated in a training camp with his new national team in Ramsau, Austria.

Per Arne Botnan is also employed as the assistant sports director in the Norwegian Athletics Federation, starting September 1, 2026. It appears that this will be his main job moving forward, while his role in Lithuania is more of a consultancy basis.

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