Although the FIS has not yet made a decision towards the participation of Russian and Belarusian skiers next season, it is widely believed that the international federation will have no choice but to extend the distance in view of the ongoing Russian invasion.
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“It simply came to our notice then. We must not give up, we must continue to train, we must continue to think about the goals we have ahead of us, “said Vjalbe, a big fan of President Vladimir Putin and a supporter of the bloody attack on Ukraine, in an interview with sports.ru.
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The head of Russian skiing, Jelena Vjalbeová.Photo: @RT_com
“I do not think we will be excluded from the world for years. These sanctions, like any other, are aimed at someone else’s feet, but they also hit their own. Nobody benefits, “Vjalbe thinks.
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According to her, one of the benefits of sanctions is that it has been shown who can be trusted.
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“The situation with the special operation (Russian official euphemism for the invasion war) has taught us a lot. She showed us who likes us, who is sincere and who is just pretending to smile. Whoever shakes and presses our hand and holds a sharpened knife behind his back, “she added.
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In May, Vjalbe tried unsuccessfully to defend her seat on the FIS council. The candidacy of the fourteen-time world champion ended in a complete fiasco when she finished last in the election.
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The Norwegian ski aces, which are their biggest rivals, are also opposed to the participation of the Russians on the international scene next season.
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“When one country goes to war and invades another country, I don’t think its representatives should be entitled to start skiing,” Norwegian number one Johannes Hösflot Klaebo recently told Nettavisen.
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“We hope they will not be forbidden to start forever. But with the way things are now, I don’t think there is any other solution, “added four-time world champion Emil Iversen.
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