Former President of the Russian Biathlon Union (RBU) Vladimir Drachev in a conversation with , he said he was satisfied with the words of the four-time French biathlon world champion Emilien Jacquelin in favor of the return of Russian biathletes to international competitions.
Previously, Jacquelin had advocated the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions. “From a sporting point of view, I miss the Russians and Belarusians at the World Cup. Without these two leading nations, it’s less attractive. Sport is supposed to promote peace and bring people together. So, in this context, I believe that it would be good to allow athletes to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” quotes L’Equipe Jacquelin.
– Jacqueline’s words are right, there really isn’t enough competition at the World Cup without the Russians and the Belarusians, we always competed for the prizes or the top ten. There is no path without competition in sport, it is clear that now it would be pointless for us to compete with the Norwegians, but we could take 3rd-4th place in the Nations Cup standings. Although Jacquelin himself hasn’t raced much this season, it’s good that he remembers our athletes and supports their comeback. Of course, our performance prospects at the World Cup are low, but it’s always nice to hear kind words,” Drachev told .
On March 28, the IOC announced recommendations on the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions in a neutral status. Recommendations include individual clearance, status neutrality, banning team sports, and banning athletes associated with security forces or who have expressed support for the CWO. A decision on the Paris 2024 Olympics will be taken “at the appropriate time”, said the IOC.
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) then told that it was open to dialogue on the possible return of Russians and Belarusians to competitions, but due to the current situation it was not yet time to reconsider the decision to suspend.
Source : MatchTV
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