The news of the massive fall of minor skiers during the student Spartakiad race was widely spread on the Internet. Discussions about why this happened have taken place at different levels and will continue for a long time. At least until those responsible admit their guilt.
Three-time Olympic champion Yulia Chepalova was among those who were not indifferent to the situation: her daughter Vaselina Rocheva took part in this mass start, avoiding falling into the rubble. In an interview with , Chepalova said that Elena Vyalbe’s first reaction offended her and other mothers, said that in her career she had never played in such weather conditions and also expressed hope that what happened would not happen again.
— You have a special relationship with what happened at the Student Spartakiad, because your daughter ran there, don’t you?
— My daughter played this Spartakiad, it’s true. It was the first big competition in her career, and she immediately found herself in such a “meat grinder”. Horrible experience. I spoke to her: she is very worried about the injured girls. I think we can imagine the state of the child after everything he saw. Her voice shook for days, she was afraid. My daughter was lucky enough to not be at the “head” of the pack, but in the middle. When she approached this slope, there was a small gap. But you know what she told me? “Mom, I was really afraid to go there, because there was blood everywhere.”
– Horror.
“If I had seen that, I would have been shaking for days.”
— What did your daughter tell you about visibility at the start of the race?
“She said that initially it was already foggy and the visibility was 20 meters. Moreover, many coaches were against the organization of the race, but they were not listened to. I don’t know who has already made the decision, they have their own decision machine. We should have just postponed this race, it’s normal training. Why didn’t they do this?
— Has the snow groomer worsened the condition of this same slope?
— Yes, in general it is forbidden to launch a snowcat just before the race. From my own experience, I know that athletes need to understand where and how to walk on what type of snow. And then it happened like this: they rushed, and the caterpillar left and did everything differently. Well, it’s just difficult. I raced on different tracks, I saw everything, but such conditions have never existed.
— For many skiers, it was the first experience of performance at such an altitude of 1450 meters. Could this affect their well-being?
— We have all had our first training or race in the mountains one day. It’s not scary. Many teams arrived close to the competition, but this is the norm: we also arrived the day before and were also out of breath during the race. But an unprepared track is scary. And to say that these girls are inexperienced is wrong. Well, how can you say that? These athletes were selected from across the country to compete in the main tournament of the year. How inexperienced or unprofessional are they? It’s not nice to say they don’t know how to ski. Do you think one of them was passing through and decided to run away? No! This cannot happen a priori.
— What was your reaction to Elena Vyalbe’s first words that nothing bad had happened?
– I don’t accept that. We have entrusted our minor children to you. You should have offered them normal conditions. How can you approach competition so carelessly? What should a girl with head trauma do now? This could be the end of his career. What about the girl who has multiple broken arms? It is not a fact that she will continue to skate normally. Elena Valerievna must answer her parents about what happened. And there is no need to speak so harshly.
—Did his words offend all the parents?
– Without a doubt.
— Do you think the people involved in what happened should leave their positions?
– Let them figure this out for themselves. I shouldn’t say which of them should leave and which should not.
—Is order necessary in the federation?
– Necessary, of course. If they bring him in, I’ll be happy.
— Did the mothers of the other skiers share their emotions?
“I’m all over social media and want to wish health and strength to everyone who has suffered. I can’t imagine how those girls riding felt at first.
— Have you experienced anything similar in your career in terms of conditions?
– This has never happened before. The races never took place in the fog. If there was fog, the race was postponed. I remember how, during a training session, I found myself in a strong fog. Then I stood there for 30 minutes not knowing where to go. Total disorientation. I was afraid of getting lost.
— What can you say to injured skiers?
“I wish the girls health and strength so that they do not give up.” Especially those who were injured. There is no need to be offended by anyone. We must continue to be competitive. The check will put everything back in its place. I want children to trust all adults, because this is an isolated case. I hope this never happens again.
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.
