Mikhail Vladimirovich Degtyarev, our Minister of Sports, calls for using our personal “network of friends”:
“We need to start a movement from below to express our discontent with the policies of the international federations and the IOC.”
Comrade Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation, let me report! Work in this direction began a long time ago and has never stopped! I can share the interim results: in the West there is a stable group of those who are interested in our return. And there are those who are rather against it, or they do not care. The athletes themselves, alas, gravitate towards the second group. And it is not difficult to understand them: who needs competitors?
Let me briefly explain how it works. Almost all ski teams are divided into A-team, B-team, C-team, etc. Each has its own salary (stipend), its own compensation for food, its own cars from sponsors, etc.
To go from B to A and improve your financial situation, you need to be in the top 6 of the World Cup three times a year. And one of my friends from junior days looks at this and thinks: “It’s good to race with Russian girls, but it’s much better to race without them!” It wouldn’t be easy for her to beat us in any race. In other words, nothing personal, just business. Only those for whom material matters have long been unimportant can regret us and advocate our quick return: Klebo, Frida Karlsson, the eternally young Johaug. Although Lynn Swan should, in theory, also be bored. But this is only a very rare case. For ideological reasons, she does not want to be on the same ski slope as me. And yes, she is simply capable of boycotting our (inevitable) return. The vast majority of skiers do not and will not have such a desire; they are still quite friendly. Friendly and passive.
And who sincerely wants us to return soon? Yes, everyone. Competition organizers, officials, FIS staff, sports journalists, broadcasters and of course equipment manufacturers. I communicate with some of them regularly, their names are known to everyone in our ski community. People are adults, everyone has their own approach. Complex. There are few Russophiles there.
But what unites them is the understanding that for the development and existence of ski racing, the return of Russians is simply vital. Russia is the largest market for everything related to skiing. Yes, compared to football/hockey, it is only a few cents. But if you have linked your destiny to skiing, if this is your profession, then you are directly interested in development – and not as it is now.
For reference: Nowadays, in the ski world, everything is not only bad, but very bad. The worst inventory sales of this century, for sure. Children do not attend ski sections, the number of places to ski is decreasing (climate and bad business), 80% of spectators at ski races in Norway are people over 50 and young people do not watch our sport at all, a statistical error.
In addition, China has seriously disappointed the skiing world. Before the Beijing Olympics, there were reasons to believe that millions of Chinese would take up skiing, new large ski resorts would open, Chinese ski racing stars would appear, etc. But the Chinese comrades completely disbanded their national team. Only the junior team remained, which is preparing for the Russian-Chinese Youth Winter Games in Sakhalin. And it does not train in Norway, as was the case quite recently.
Do you feel the difference? If not, I repeat: Chinese skiers will race in Russia, not in Norway. This is what the ski world is talking about now, this is what is interesting and important for it.
A well-known correspondent for a Norwegian newspaper in the ski world wrote to me the other day: “If only you knew what heated debates are currently taking place within the FIS and among the organizers of the World Championships in Trondheim 2025 regarding the invitation of Russians!
I told him that it was absolutely impossible. No one in Western Europe today would have the courage to invite the Russians to compete. In any sport. Here in the United States, there is Dana White, who did not care about criticism. But in Europe, such things do not exist. Other human material.
The conclusions are as follows. Expecting that all sports players in the West will wake up one morning and feel how much they miss the Russians is utopian. Athletes and coaches are more or less neutral, but no one asked them anyway and no one will. We have neither boxing nor the UFC, where the wishes of top athletes are usually listened to.
And those who decide something are only interested in sports as a business. And while Bolshunov at the World Championships in Norway in 2025 is more bad than good for them personally. There is a lot of noise. Moreover, they generally continue to have the illusion that as soon as we are invited again, we will rush to them as quickly as possible and on any conditions. It will not be like that – our conditions are simple: absolute equality with other teams on all issues. No special conditions, exceptions, etc. The Russians either compete on an equal footing or do not compete at all.
But another thing is clear to me: they will only really start itching when we have competitions that could pose a threat to the current world sports system. Yes, yes, with the Chinese comrades in the first place.
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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.
