Head coach of the Russian national cross-country team Yuri Borodavko said he did not support the decision to equalize the distances between men and women.
President of Russian Ski Racing Federation (FLGR) Elena Vyalbe told the move would be “the burial of women’s sport”.
– The main backbone of those new to women’s cross-country skiing are young athletes aged 20-21. If a distance of 10 km is acceptable for them, then running 20 km and 50 km during the season is, of course, too difficult for them. Therefore, I am not in favor of such innovations.
These changes stem from the European journey towards gender equality. They are motivated by the fact that in athletics, swimming and other sports, men and women have equal distances. And that’s why they want to bring cross-country skiing to the same model,” Borodavko told Vprognoze.ru.
Since last season, the men’s and women’s distances have been equalized in the World Cup (10, 20 and 50 km). On June 20, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved equal distances for women and men at the 2026 Olympics.
Vprognoze.ru
Source : MatchTV
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