German biathlete Florian Graf has apologised for sticking his highly sensitive small-bore rifle in his own face during a World Cup race in Oberhof, Germany, at the weekend.

Graf was disqualified after the incident in which he paused between shots to blow moisture from the barrel of his weapon. "The bullet's exit speed is 500mph, it's deadly, and you do not want to be looking down the sharp end of that barrel," Great Britain's six-times Olympian Mike Dixon said.