“Dependent on Russia”: Norwegian Iversen on sanctions against skiers

MOSCOW, May 3. Norwegian Emil Iversen said in an interview with TV2 that the Russians made a great contribution to the development of cross-country skiing. Against the backdrop of the situation in Ukraine, the International Ski Federation (FIS) first deprived Russia of the right to host the World Cup Final in Tyumen, and then decided not to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in competitions under the auspices of the organization until end of the 2021/22 season. «Will the Russians compete at the World Championships? I don't think so. We just have to remember this. Otherwise, our motivation will drop a lot. We depend on the Russians. Bolshunov has set a new standard in cross-country skiing. He is the best skier. This year he was completely unbeatable at the Olympics. We can only assume that they will come. However, I do not believe in it,» said Iversen.