MOSCOW, July 15, Oleg Bogatov. President of the Ski Racing Federation Russia (FLGR) three-time Olympic champion Elena Vyalbe said that, despite the difficult political situation, she maintained good relations with two-time Olympic champion Stefania Belmondo and some other former athletes from Italy.
Belmondo, in an interview with La Stampa newspaper, stated that she continues to maintain friendly relations with Vyalbe, despite the situation in Ukraine and the tense situation in the world. The Italian is 55 years old, she won the 1992 Olympics in Albertville and the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City. In Albertville, Belmondo became the champion in the 30 km freestyle race, ahead of Vyalbe and another Russian, Lyubov Egorova.
«We haven't seen Stefania Belmondo for quite a long time — it seems to me that the last time was before the start of the pandemic. Fortunately, we have a telephone and we continue to communicate. And I'm pleased with that. This applies not only Stefania, there are athletes in Italy with whom we competed before, and we also maintained good relations. And besides the Italians, after I left the sport, I no longer communicated with anyone from other countries,” Vyalbe said.
«For example, with athletes from Norway and Finland, with whom I also ran at the same time, there were no such relationships. Perhaps they would have existed if I at least had their phone numbers «, added the agency's interlocutor.