I happened to be one of the first active athletes to react to the recent decisions of the International Olympic Committee regarding the admission of Russians. More precisely, the real denial of admission.
The media always act according to the principle: “whoever casts the first vote, the following questions”. For example, such (these are real examples of questions from different media that I received):
“What must the athletes who will be authorized to compete by the international federations do? Is it worth agreeing?
“How should we treat those who choose a career and, for example, change their nationality?
“Will this be a betrayal?”
I am an athlete, not a behavioral, career or employment consultant. I do not accept or give unsolicited advice. I made my choice, the conditions imposed seem humiliating to me. What the IOC advocates is a real “filtering” of athletes by political opinions and profession. It shouldn’t be like that in principle. Neither compared to Russian athletes, nor to Israelis, nor to Americans. It seems obvious to me that the conditions proposed by the IOC are unacceptable.
However, we are all different. What seems humiliating to me may not necessarily be to someone else, I guess. Each athlete will make their own choice. All alone, without prompting, at least mine.
What I can and regularly do is open up our indoor kitchen a bit. Not all fans understand how modern elite sport works. Many try to compare with what and how it was twenty years ago, or even in the 20th century. In reality, many things have changed.
For example, I read that Australian Open winner Arina Sobolenko’s personal team consists of a coach, sparring partner, physical trainer, massage therapist, a doctor and a psychologist. I immediately try it for us: guys, yes, it’s practically the composition of Johannes Klebo’s personal team! Only the psychologist seems to be replaced by his father, also a manager.
After Teresa Johaug Klebo quit the sport, he is practically the only cross-country skier who can afford such expenses.
Markus Kramer (former coach of our national team and now Italian) told me last year that a world-class skier, if he wants to win something and cannot rely on his national federation, must find around 200 thousand euros per year. Again – if you mainly train individually. And these are the minimum conditions. For tennis players, their “support groups” are much more expensive – but they play almost all year round, unlike us.
The richest ski federations – Norwegian, German, Swedish – can offer very decent conditions, but certainly not Johannes. That’s why Johannes wins the way he wins. There are different theories regarding its success, but it seems to me that it all depends on the quality of the training offered. And here I am not quite right – “quality” is conditional for us, other Norwegians or Germans. Johannes has “ultra-premium”. Remember that when you revisit the races where ours beat it!
Do you understand where I’m coming from? Even if there is a Russian skier (biathlete, speed skater, biathlete, etc.) who accepts the IOC conditions, he/she will be an absolute extra during the competitions themselves. In most winter sports, no investor would invest in a young skier in the hope that she will shine under an obscure neutral flag. How will the invested funds be returned?
It also answers the question of why none of our skiers at national team level will change their citizenship. Who will go on such an adventure? Why? In skiing, at least, they have absolutely nothing in terms of podiums in isolation from our mighty team. Not only powerful, but clearly built, in which truly world-class specialists work: trainers, military, doctors, masseurs.
In skiing, there is not a single case of a successful change of sport citizenship. The example of the great Anastasia Kuzmina in biathlon is an exception. And since then, the whole training process has become a little more complicated and more expensive, believe me.
Do you think the IOC doesn’t know all this? Yes, of course they know! But they just don’t need at least one Russian athlete to win. I don’t think I need to explain why. But for someone from Russia to come, wear “civilian clothes marked “neutral athlete” – that’s exactly what is needed. So, formally, the principles are respected. And the wolves are satisfied, and the sheep are safe, according to their understanding.
“The IOC cares the most about its TV rights holders and sponsors. They are the source of 90% of the revenue. Athletes are the easiest actors to replace. Russia scares the IOC and Bach. Putin’s speech about an alternative to the Olympics horrifies Bach and the IOC.”
Associated Press senior sports correspondent Stephen Wade tells the truth: we’re just actors. But the prospects, if he is right, open up interesting ones.
Look, if we’re talking about the World Cup in my sport, then the total cost is less than maintaining a private jet a year. It is necessary, figures in hand, to convince the owners of such aircraft to invest in our sport. It’s investing, like investing in the entertainment industry, what professional sports are. As a friend of mine said, “Hurry to where they’re waiting for you and go from there – where they endure.”
Where are we waiting? I think Asia is waiting. Chinese neighbors will now move away from covid restrictions and resume the program to put 200 million of their fellow citizens on skis (or skates). The Saudi Crown Prince is building a ski resort in the Arabian Peninsula – and no one doubts he will. I am sure that we are on the same path with such partners, but apparently not with Western Europe. At least not in the near future and certainly not in my sport.
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The federal television channel broadcast live all the main competitions of the cross-country ski season in Russia, including Alfa-Bank of the Russian Championship, Champion Heights and the stages of the Russian Cup.
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.
