MOSCOW, April 1 Former biathlete, member of the coaching staff of the French biathlon team Simon Fourcade believes that the removal of Russian athletes from international competitions is a huge mistake. Earlier, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) removed Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions against the backdrop of the situation in Ukraine. Later, the IBU suspended the membership of the RBU and the Belarusian Biathlon Federation. «I think that the removal of athletes is already a very tough measure. Therefore, I cannot explain why it is necessary to exclude the RBU right now. I am not a member of this federation, so I cannot influence it. But for me, this is the wrong decision,» Fourcade is quoted by Match TV. «I am sure that it will last as long as the Russian special operation in Ukraine continues. But I repeat once again that the exclusion of athletes is a big, big mistake. I think that such a decision cannot help anyone or change something. International sports federations think that in this way they put pressure on the Russian government. However, it does not seem to me that this is so important for the Russian government at the moment, «added the ex — biathlete. According to Simon Fourcade, his younger brother, five-time Olympic champion Martin Fourcade, who is on the commission of athletes of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is not supports the decision to suspend Russian athletes.
