Because few countries participated, and the few that did participate had trouble agreeing on the rules, the sport was dropped from the Olympics. However, the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne et Biathlon was founded in 1948 to standardize rules for both the biathlon and the modern pentathlon. The first world championship was held in 1957 and biathlon was added to the Winter Olympic program in 1960, but the U. S. didn't conduct a national championship until 1965. Following the lead of the international organization, the national governing body was originally the U. S. Modern Pentathlon and Biathlon Association. The U. S. Biathlon Association was spun off in 1980.
Racers carry rifles and ammunition.
They have to stop at four points, located between the fifth and eighteenth kilomers, for the target shooting portion of the competition. If a shot hits the outer ring, the competitor is penalized 1 minutes. If the shot misses entirely, the penalty is 2 minutes. Penalty times are added to elapsed times to determine the order of finish. The four-man relay was added to the world championships in 1966 and to the Olympic program in 1968.