The convicted 21-year-old is clinging to hope – he has appealed the verdict that could destroy his career. Now he is receiving psychological help to cope with everyday life.

“I live in total uncertainty,” says Finnish biathlete Arttu Heikkinen.

Heikkinen has not spoken publicly since being convicted in September of gross negligence following a hunting accident last year, in which he caused irreversible injuries to a fellow hunter.

At a press conference on Monday, Heikkinen spoke for the first time about the aftermath of the incident that could end his biathlon career, but admitted it was difficult.

“It wasn’t easy to come here and talk about this, but it was unavoidable,” said the Finnish biathlon talent.

The 21-year-old from Kuopio is one of Finland’s most promising young biathletes. At the 2024 World Championships in Lenzerheide, he finished 33rd individually and anchored Finland’s relay team to tenth place. He is also a Junior World Champion in the individual race (2022) and European junior sprint champion (2024).

After his breakthrough at the 2022 Junior World Championships and strong results over the next two seasons, Heikkinen earned his first senior World Championships start in Lenzerheide last winter.

But his future in biathlon now depends entirely on the court’s final decision in the ongoing criminal case related to the 2024 hunting accident.

May lose the right to carry firearms

In the summer, Heikkinen was found guilty of gross negligence by the Rovaniemi District Court. He was ordered to pay substantial compensation and daily fines, and, according to Finnish police regulations, such offenses automatically result in the loss of the right to carry firearms.

Heikkinen immediately appealed, hoping to overturn the verdict and keep his gun license. Without it, continuing in biathlon is practically impossible.

Both the Finnish Biathlon Association and the International Biathlon Union (IBU) are awaiting the final ruling before deciding on any further sanctions. For now, Heikkinen can train and compete as usual.

However, he admits that public scrutiny and uncertainty are taking a toll.

“The process is ongoing, and I live in total uncertainty. I have no idea about the timeframe, plans, or progress,” he said.

Receiving psychological support

The young biathlete has sought help from teammates and professionals to manage the stress. National team veteran Tero Seppälä has supported him closely.

“Even when all precautions are taken, accidents can still happen,” Seppälä told Yle.

Heikkinen has also been in regular contact with the team’s sports psychologist.

“I’ve talked several times about how I feel,” he confirmed.

Despite the challenging circumstances, Heikkinen has not given up on his World Cup and Olympic dreams. He says he has built a solid training base for the upcoming season, which begins in Östersund on November 29.

“The main goal is to stabilize within the top 30 in the World Cup – preferably among the top 20,” said the Finnish youngster.

The 2025/26 Biathlon World Cup season begins in Östersund on November 29. The 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy will take place from February 6–22.

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