Östersund is scheduled to stage the season-opener from tomorrow until Sunday (November 28), with individual and sprint races for men and women on the schedule.

The IBU has claimed it is confident the World Cup circuit will go ahead, despite surging COVID-19 infections in Europe, which the World Health Organization warned last month was "back at the epicentre of the pandemic".

All World Cup events this season are scheduled to be held in Europe.

Only fully vaccinated, recovered or polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-tested athletes and officials will be allowed to take part in the IBU’s events under its COVID-19 protocol.

The IBU had previously encouraged athletes, coaches, staff and other officials to get vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the opening of the new season.

The IBU revealed that 98 per cent of team members, including athletes, coaches, officials and technicians, at the event at the Swedish resort are fully vaccinated against, or have recently recovered from, COVID-19.

The remaining two per cent have to conduct SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests every 72 hours.

IBU President Olle Dahlin has admitted the worldwide governing body is expecting challenges during the 2021-2022 campaign, but said "with everyone working together and following the rules we will be able to overcome them and enjoy excellent biathlon competitions".

Last season's Biathlon World Cup was badly affected by COVID-19 and several changes were forced upon the IBU, including having to drop an event in Beijing, the venue for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, and substituting it with another round at Nové Město in the Czech Republic.

A number of competitors also tested positive and were quarantined during the course of the season.

Olympic 20 kilometres individual champion Johannes Thingnes Bø is due to begin his pursuit of a fourth straight overall title at the Swedish resort.

The Norwegian star has dominated the World Cup in recent years and will aim to lay down a marker to his rivals in the lead-up to Beijing 2022.

Bø’s compatriot Tiril Eckhoff is the defending overall women’s champion after winning her first World Cup crown in March.

The women’s 15km and men’s 20km individual races are due to take place tomorrow.

Competition in Östersund concludes with the women’s 7.5km and men’s 10km sprints on Sunday.