President of the Russian Ski Racing Federation (FLGR) Elena Vyalbe in an interview with Sport reacted to the situation with anti-Russian sanctions, appreciated the words and actions head of the IOC Thomas Bach, and also commented on the statements of sports officials and politicians of Ukraine.
— Everyone hoped to the last that Russian skiers would be allowed to participate in international competitions. When did you realize that there was no chance?
—When you arrived in Zurich for meetings of your committees. It was clear that there was no chance. In conversations?- We also communicated with members of the FIS Council as well. We noticed that people are under pressure, they do not belong to themselves. Everyone understands that this is bad and unprofitable for an international organization. And, of course, the loss of money, but they can not do anything.
— Many blame only the head of the IOC, Thomas Bach. But sometimes it seems that he himself is under the same pressure.
“I don’t want to figure out whether he is under pressure or not. I think that now, in general, all this Russophobia is manifested everywhere. I don't think that Bach communicates with anyone there. With whom? Is he with Biden? And he tries to convince him that this is actually bad, is it wrong? This is a loss of general respect for the sports organization.
Now in the world everyone understands that sport has ceased to be a sport. This is definitely politics. And through sport, you can put pressure on the political leaders of any country in the same way. But it's not in any framework. Open the IOC charter, there is no need to read what has been introduced there in the last two or three years. Reread what was originally there. As in all international documents, for some reason everything is remade on the knee. It is done in a way that is more convenient for someone.
— As in the situation with the Norwegian Ski Association. It turns out that WADA is investigating the cases of the Moscow laboratory many years ago, but here, even after Teresa Yochaug's statements, he is silent.We have been talking about double standards for a long time, they were, are and will be. In general, I have absolutely zero confidence in all these international organizations. When you see and understand that big leaders who are responsible for a specific area of work, not only do not try to do it right, but follow the lead of their sponsors. If they think that they can play like this for the rest of their lives… No, they won't.
— Everything will change dramatically as soon as we victoriously complete the NWO. I am sure of it and have no doubts. This will put a bold point. And, as I said, they will come and ask us to return as soon as possible. For sport to be what it really should be. It must become absolutely apolitical, it must be open and equal to everyone. And there should never be any bias. There should be nothing but a sports result, which is written in the protocol. We must endure. Quietly mind your own business.
— As Denis Spitsov said, there are pluses in this suspension: Russian fans from different regions will be able to see the stars of the Russian national team live.
— For the regions, this is a great excitement, but at the same time, it is a great honor that athletes of this level will come to some regions more than once. And the fans will see them. For me, another big plus is that we will be in Russia for the whole season, and we have a huge team, we carry more than 60 people. And many of them do not perform at the World Cup. Simply because there are leaders. And we can't see everyone. And now they will compete all together.
Another big plus is that we can see what each athlete is like. It is clear that leaders are leaders, but we still carry a certain number of people behind them. We did not have time to make these people, except at the national championship, compete with each other somewhere. Now they will be together for a whole season.
— A question that haunts many. The absence of international starts is equal to the absence of prize money. What is the main thing: an idea or earnings?
— This is not even yesterday's topic. We are deeply convinced that if an athlete enters the sport to earn money, at least in cross-country skiing, there will definitely be no result. To begin with, a person must have a goal in front of him. Not money, but results. And only then will money appear, and that's it. We should never dwell on the fact that this is making money.
— The same hysteria is whipped up by Dmitry Guberniev about this. «Why is this necessary?» A surname that I will not respond to.
—There were talks about following the example of the same Maria Lasitskene, writing letters and turning to the world sports community. Is it really necessary for skiers?
— In every situation, you need to take some steps, if they make real sense. Lasickene was suspended from the entire athletics federation unfairly for anti-doping rule violations. Now we are suspended from international starts at the direction of the head of the IOC. This is something no one hides. To whom then should I turn, tell me? To the United Nations? Or at UNESCO? Here the situation is completely different, there is no organization higher than the IOC. Go to CAS? Yes, you can. But those who went to CAS with it lost or are waiting for their turn. When will their turn come, in two or three years? And then it might be irrelevant.
Many people like to say something without thinking. In the same way that the discussion is now that we need to withdraw from CAS, the international Court of Arbitration for Sport. And this is the only body that in some situation can resolve the controversial issue. It doesn't matter if it's positive or negative. If Russia is going to withdraw from CAS, then all athletes will become absolutely disenfranchised, they will not have any chance to prove something somewhere. This is absolutely stupid!
— Very stupid.
— And in general, in the situation in which we are now, to wave a saber and to withdraw from sports organizations, or in general from all international organizations, it seems to me ridiculous. Are we supposed to isolate ourselves from everything? They are trying to isolate us, but we should live and be open people, and live and be the same open people. These are two very different situations.
Bearing collective punishment, where you are not involved at all, is one thing. I just don’t know to whom my athletes are here or should I go, to whom to write? And just wringing your nerves, writing and hoping for something is also wrong. They are now all charged for domestic competitions, they are training, they will compete, there will be as many competitions as at the World Cup. We have alternative starts during the World Championships.
Yes, nothing can replace international starts, but I think skiers are lucky, we have good competition within the country, it will not let them relax. It seems to me that in the international arena in cross-country skiing, people will now relax more than we do. We have a huge competition for both women and men. Both the guys and the girls are all set for this.
— Personally, after the removal of the Russians, I lost interest in many international tournaments that I watched earlier. Will you follow the Cross Country Ski World Cup?
“What the hell do I need them for, Lord, forgive me, my sinful soul.” Of course not. No. I won't. I do not want. And I will not be interested in who won there. I will have the Russian Cup, which I will closely follow and ride. I think that many fans will not watch and look for an opportunity to find (broadcasts). I won't either.
— In the summer, the Ukrainian Ski Federation called for the exclusion of the FLGR from the FIS. Now their football officials and leaders are demanding that they give them Iran's place in the World Cup, and exclude the RFU from FIFA and UEFA. Don't they take on too much?
— I don't really look at all sorts of statements by the leaders of Ukraine. In my opinion, there are no adequate people. They are all either on a needle or on a glass, as it is more correct to say. When you hear their statements, it becomes somehow uncomfortable. On the other hand, we all live in free countries, we have the right to say whatever we want. The only thing they should not forget is that they are the leaders of the country and must be responsible for their words. They point or call… Fortunately, they do not decide everything today. Far from them. Although where else to remove more than we have already been removed? That's all.
They also attributed poor Iran, which has been living under sanctions for more than forty years. And somehow they live the same, everything goes on as usual. I repeat once again: as soon as Russia victoriously completes a special military operation, everything will change dramatically. My deep conviction, and I do not expect anything else.