World Cup winners Bolshunov and Nepryaeva banned from FIS skiing

The International Federation has decided not to allow Russian athletes to participate in the season

At a meeting of the Council of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), which took place on October 22, the issue of the participation of the Russian team in international competitions was again raised. The answer was known in advance and no one expected any surprises. Even if it is clear to both friends and enemies that without participation in the starts of the season, for example, our skiers, the interest of spectators in the sport will significantly decrease.

There is no intrigue of confrontation between the strongest, and there are no emotions on which the sport rests. Even Norwegian experts are sure that ski races will look poor without Russia: Norwegians will dominate, and the TV audience will become poorer. Already in March, when Russia was suspended from the World Cup, the Norwegians occupied the podium at the marathon in Holmenkollen and took in the overall standings five first places out of six in the final of the World Cup in Falun. But from the realization by many of the impending problems for the whole sport, the essence of the decision made does not change: FIS does not allow our athletes to the world’s ski tracks and slopes. The season will pass without Russia. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation has confirmed the decision made regarding the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the 2022/23 season. And the ban applies not only to cross-country skiing, but also to alpine skiing, snowboarding and freestyle.

A few days before the council meeting, FIS President Johan Eliash said that the organization was making the right choice in following the recommendations of the IOC to suspend our athletes. Like, the IOC asked all organizations to be in solidarity and stick together, and this is the main thing.

President of the Russian Snowboard Federation Denis Tikhomirov believes that the decision of the international federation came as no surprise to anyone, so a clear schedule of domestic competitions has long been developed.

And FLGR President Elena Vyalbe, even before the meeting of the FIS Council, admitted that our athletes and coaches are ready for the ban to be extended. And the calendar of internal starts is laid out in such a way that Russian skiers will perform in parallel with FIS tournaments. Skiers are preparing for tournaments, as it should be. Oleg Perevozchikov’s group is now in Aldan (Yakutia), the junior team works in Tyumen. And in a week in Khanty-Mansiysk, the first snow camps of the groups of Yuri Borodavko, Yegor Sorin, Petr Sedov and Andrey Nutrikhin will begin. And, for example, Sergey Ustyugov, who is preparing as part of the regional team, has already started training camp in Khanty-Mansiysk.

In Khanty-Mansiysk, according to coach Yuri Borodavko, snow has been saved, which will be used for a circle about five kilometers long. The star group of the coach will appear on the track from October 27 in full force: Alexander Bolshunov, Natalya and Daria Nepryaeva, Artem Maltsev, Yulia Stupak, Denis Spitsov, Alexander Chervotkin, Ivan Yakimushkin, Maria Istomina, Nikita Denisov.

According to the coach, after the training camp in Sochi, the athletes return to a good functional level, and after Khanty-Mansiysk, the group will move to Khakassia at the Top of Tei, where they will open the winter competitive season at the Russian Cup.