Double Olympic champion, president of the St. Petersburg Biathlon Federation Dmitry Vasilyev On , he answered the question of how to prevent Russian athletes from changing their citizenship while creating a competitive environment in the country.
On Wednesday, International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) board member Erik Röste said the decision to suspend the Russians and Belarusians following an FIS board meeting had been extended for the coming season. Russians and Belarusians have been suspended from FIS competitions since March 2022 due to the situation in Ukraine.
Russian and Belarusian athletes are also suspended from competitions organized under the auspices of the International Biathlon Union (IBU).
— Is there a plan B that would allow us not to lose athletes? Do you have any idea how to store them? How to create a competitive environment?
– Yes, but in general. Because no one has ever encountered such a situation, and you have to make decisions on the fly. They may not always be true. I think the main motivator is financial leverage. If there are good monetary rewards, our athletes will train with even more confidence.
For a biathlete to earn 16,000 euros for first place in the World Cup, they must also win it. Try again with those dope Norwegians and everyone else. It’s impossible! And then opportunities open up in the Winter Spartakiad. As far as I know, the expected prize amount will be almost the same as that of the Olympic Games. It’s hard to imagine a greater motivation for athletes to stay here and train.
This period won’t last that long anyway. Maybe 3 to 4 years. I don’t think so anymore. The whole world will simply get tired of this uncertainty. And let’s not forget that the situation of international sport abroad has become very bad, because only Norwegians win ski competitions. And who likes to look at a country? That means sponsors are leaving, which means shows are shrinking. The fans are losing interest. Nobody likes that. No matter how much they hate us.
Of course, no one is under any illusions that the BRICS competition will be less spectacular at first, but we still have to do something. We cannot wait by the seaside for the weather or its favor.
We must follow different parallel paths. The new format of the competition implies that not only our athletes will participate, but also all those who do not resort to doping, and above all, these therapeutic exceptions in which Western sports are mired, are invited. Everyone understands that this is legalized doping. We must cleanse ourselves of this abomination which has clung to the Olympic movement in recent years and which Mr. Bach has indulged in.
It’s not all bad. We have very good prospects. I really believe it! – said Vasiliev on the air of the program “There is a topic” on .
At the end of March this year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced recommendations for the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions. Recommendations include individual admission, neutral status, banning participation in team sports, and banning participation of athletes associated with security forces or who have expressed support for the SVO.
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.
