Biathlon: competitions in Sochi if the Russians are not in Italy
The 2024-2025 season is not yet over and athletes are already thinking about the next one, especially as it will be an Olympic one. This is also the case in Russia.
Cross-country skier Alexander Terentev does not believe that Russian skiers will be able to take part in the 2026 Games in Milan-Cortina (Italy). They have been excluded from international competitions since the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
As the decision does not depend on him, the athlete prefers not to tie the future of his career to whether or not he will be in the Dolomites next year. He admits that he isn’t even thinking about it. ” If they give the green light, it will be great,” he told RIA Novosti (quoted by R-Sport). “I do cross-country skiing because I love it. So I’ll be doing it for as long as I can, whether there are Olympic Games or not.
Alexander Terentev won two bronze medals at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, one in the individual sprint and the other in the team sprint. His first World Cup victory came in November 2021 in a classic sprint event in Ruka, Finland.
In Russia, not everyone shares his state of mind. At the beginning of March, Alexander Bolshunov was categorical: “For me, this is one of my main objectives. That’s what will take me forward. If there are no Olympic Games, then why prepare, why race? For the pan-Russian competitions? No thanks,” he said in an interview. The three-time Olympic champion reiterated his “need for world competitions”, indicating that he was preparing for the Transalpine event.
In February, Alexander Bolshunov spent some time in the Italian Alps. At Seiser Alm, he took part in the Moonlight Classic, a popular 30-kilometre night race.
The president of the Russian cross-country skiing federation, Elena Välbe, was not happy with the star’s comments.
“All our preparations, which will begin in the spring, will be structured with participation in the Olympic Games in mind,” confirmed Viktor Maigurov, coach of the Russian biathletes. If they are unable to compete in Antholz, they already have a plan B: “If we are not allowed to take part, we plan to organise the competition in Sochi in February.
Some athletes are even looking further ahead. If the sanctions are lifted, they are already assessing their chances of making the trip. ” If we are allowed to take part in the Olympic Games, only four or five athletes will go to Italy”, said Anton Babikov, for example, who does not think he will be among those selected. In his opinion, to be selected, you have to be at the top of the rankings.
Cross-country skier Veronika Stepanova, Olympic relay champion in Beijing, hopes that the elections to the International Olympic Committee will change the situation and that the Russians will be reinstated. ” I really hope that the new IOC president will listen to me,” she wrote in a column on the Match TV website.
Seven candidates are competing for this vote, which will take place during the 144th IOC Session, which runs until 21 March 2025 in Greece.
