The president of the Russian Ski Racing Federation, on the sidelines of the forum “Russia is a sports power” in Ufa, spoke to about the absence of a base in the highlands, doubts about the unification of federations sports and relations with the Olympic champion. Veronica Stepanova and the envious.
“We removed the phones exclusively before the Olympic Games”
— During your speech at the session, you said that you took away the athletes’ phones. Were there any who resisted or hid a second phone under their pillow?
– That didn’t happen. And we removed the phones exclusively before the Olympics. This didn’t only happen with us, I know of many similar cases in other teams from different countries.
If I’m not mistaken, before the Sochi Games, the ROC hired a Canadian company that told all the winter athletes what they needed to do to beat everyone at the home Olympics. We, the leaders of the federations, communicated with each other and came to a consensus that Canadians told us simple truths, and we did similar things as a team.
—What’s special about him?
— There was a strict ban on talking on the telephone; it was only possible to communicate for a few minutes in the presence of a representative of the federation.
– For what?
— Because, in their opinion, the conversation should have focused only on the positive. We have not experienced such difficult times, but we have not resisted such wishes. It seems to me that it simply means this: athletes may understand this importance, but they do not fully realize it. Sometimes I go online, read a story, a second, a third – and it’s already midnight.
— How did you spend your time at training camp when you were a skier?
– What are you talking about! We didn’t even have a telephone. We read books, many girls, including me, knit, play various games and draw on Whatman paper. It seems to me that this is a normal situation for an athlete when his brain is distracted from work.
“In Moscow, I don’t even know where I can perform anymore”
— How equipped are you with ski facilities? Is it necessary to build new facilities?
“I’ve been talking about it for fourteen years.” First there was Vitaly Mutko, then Pavel Kolobkov, then Oleg Matytsin, and now the fourth minister has arrived, Mikhail Degtyarev. During the entire “winter”, there is not a single training center in the highlands. Yes, we can afford to come to Sochi, to “Laura”, but the altitude for preparation there is small, it does not make much difference to the weather. We need at least an altitude of 1800 meters.
Now there was a proposal from the Ministry of Sports in Karachay-Cherkessia, but there is a hotel there at an altitude of 2150 meters – it is impossible, athletes will not live at this altitude. That’s the main thing.
Thank God the regions are listening to us. I tell them we don’t need monumental glass and concrete buildings, we need simple modular bases. Where to hold competitions – in general, we formed a circle, but to organize smaller competitions, where children could come to ski, we need a good sports component, namely ski slopes that melt before our eyes , especially in big cities.
In Moscow, I don’t even know where I can perform. Maybe in New Moscow they will find something for us. Where we used to ride and train, many tracks have been lost because no one recorded them for themselves. Today it’s all high-rise buildings and cottage villages. But in general, it’s a sin for me to complain about the conditions.
— Have you discussed this subject with Degtyarev?
– Not yet. As Mikhail Vladimirovich said at the forum, he has not yet managed to “winter”. We said, “Well, thank God” (laughs). Just a joke, of course.
But we’re now in the middle of the season and we didn’t want to be ripped off in any way. I have good contacts with the minister, both when he was chairman of the Duma sports committee and when he was governor of the Khabarovsk Territory. There were problems, we solved them together. I hope that we will continue to work normally in the future.
“If we talk about unification of federations, there are no prospects for these stages yet”
—You only have a reporting and election conference in 2026?
– Yes.
—So there’s no point in asking questions about the elections?
– Yes, we will live until that time, and then we will talk.
— Summer sports are actively gathering. What do you have?
– Honestly, I don’t know. Senior officials at the Sports Ministry said this would happen after the 2026 Olympics.
We have a ski sports association which includes everything except biathlon. It has been operating for over forty years, I have been running it for six years, we organize elections. We are already united, we communicate closely with each other, there are no problems.
— They joke that soon football and hockey will be united under one roof.
“We were told that team sports would not be combined. But if we talk about the unification of federations, it is not yet very clear, there is no perspective for these steps, no positive aspect. Maybe in two years we will see and admit that we were wrong.
About 30% or less of team sports make it to the Olympics. The last to win gold medals was women’s handball. And football has not been present at the Games since 1988. It turns out that they are in a privileged position, and there is so much money spent than the amounts they receive from the unified regulator of the game (URAI ). So there are a few questions here (smiles).
“We have no conflict with Nika Stepanova and I hope we never will”
— Veronica Stepanova went on maternity leave. Who would you like to see in his family – a future skier or a skier?
“The main thing is to have a healthy child, that’s above all.” And everything else doesn’t matter, whether it’s a chess player, a figure skater or even outside of sports. But since I like boys more, I would like her to give birth to a son.
— When skiers announce that they are pregnant, is that happiness for you? Or are you upset that the athlete is no longer enrolled in the athletic program?
— A woman who gives birth to a child and returns to sports will have time to do everything that she could not do before. Especially if you have reached a certain age. I’ll be honest: I’m very happy for them, because life certainly doesn’t stop at sports and the goal of every woman is to be a mother.
And then those athletes who leave the sport will more than once remember me with a kind word that they have a child and a medal. It doesn’t bother you at all, believe me.
– Are they asking you to be godmother?
– And I am the godmother of a few children.
—Are you and Veronica doing well in your relationship? Judging by the press, you have a powerful fight against each other.
“Wait, I’ve never answered him once in my life.” Why do I need this? We have a very good relationship.
— From the outside, it appears that there is a conflict.
– So let them think so (laughter). We have no conflicts with Nika and I hope we never will.
— Do you have any envious people in sport?
– Of course yes. It cannot exist without these people.
— Does this encourage you in your work, does it irritate you?
— I try not to pay attention to such people, because envy is a great sin. I do my work with love, I am not an all-powerful person, I can also make mistakes and I admit them.
— They say that you are one of the rare women in Russia who carry an entire sport with them.
— I try not to drag it out, but to develop it (smiling). And make more and more people fall in love with him. Honestly, I enjoy my job. There are no saintly people in the world, those who have never made a single mistake in life. And I have them too.
More sports news in our telegram channel .
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.
