Olympic cross-country skiing champion Veronika Stepanova responded to the decision of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) to maintain the current suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes from competitions under the organization’s auspices.
By decision of the FIS, Russian and Belarusian athletes were suspended from international competitions last season. On May 24, the FIS Council upheld the current suspension until further notice.
The FIS is trying to balance, but it looks more and more like it’s just pushing the file aside. Probably hoping that the situation will “resolve somehow”. I do not think so.
Either we will come back on an equal footing, or we won’t come back at all. By equal, I mean first of all the absence of any “selection committee” which would have the right to question me on my political opinions or to oblige me to disclose my professional status. The rules must be the same for skiers from all countries. Any other approach is discriminatory, and everyone, including the FIS, is well aware of that.
The world is much bigger than Scandinavia or even all of Europe. Those who want to compete without us have the right to do so. But they must honestly admit that this is not a world cup or championship, just an international tournament,” Stepanova wrote on her Telegram channel.
In March 2023, the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that international federations, if Russians are allowed to start, do so individually, in a neutral status, without participating in team events, and also exclude participation athletes. associated with law enforcement and expressing their support for the SVO.
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
