On Tuesday, the board of the international skiing confederation Fis will discuss the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions. The door to the World Cup is probably already open.
Veronika Stepanova is one of Russia’s top skiers and a well-known supporter of President Vladimir Putin. EPA / AOP
- Athletes from Russia and Belarus have been banned from competitions under FIS for two and a half years.
- Apparently, the chairman of FIS, Johan Eliasch, wants the athletes of those countries to participate in international competitions.
- The hot question is whether the Russian skiers will already be seen in Ruka at the end of November.
- The war and killing of people in Ukraine continues.
It seems strongly that the International Ski Federation, under the leadership of its Swedish president Johan Eliasch, wants Russian athletes back in their competitions.
The Norwegian media house NRK got hold of a letter sent by the federation to its member countries, which appeals to accept Russia and Belarus back into international competitions.
Fis is scheduled to decide on Tuesday evening at its virtual meeting whether Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to return to international competitions, i.e. the World Cup. Or specifically for the World Cup, which starts in Nordic skiing at the end of November from Ruka in Kuusamo.
Athletes from Russia, which is waging a brutal war of aggression in Ukraine, and Belarus, which supports it, have been banned from competitions under FIS for two and a half years.
Going to Ruka?
Aleksandr Bolshunov breaks the sky on the Olympic tracks in Beijing. PASI LEISMA
If Fis makes a decision and allows athletes from those countries to return to their games, we might already see Russian athletes at the World Cup in Ruka on the last weekend of November – despite the fact that the border between Finland and Russia is closed.
With certain exceptions, it is possible for citizens of the Russian Federation to get a visa to Finland, even though Finland strongly restricts the entry of Russians.
Iltalehti called the consular chief of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the subject For Jussi Tanner.
– In Finland, it was decided to limit Russian tourism for the first time as early as 2022. However, the decision contains 10 exception categories, if they are met, a visa to Finland can be granted, Tanner says and continues:
– One of them concerns the short-term [alle 90 vuorokauden] work in Finland. So are skiers considered a professional group or amateurs? And to simplify: professionals can theoretically be allowed entry, amateurs can’t.
The section of the exception category mentioned by Tanner can be found on the Border Guard’s website and is as follows:
“Persons who are coming to Finland for short-term, lasting less than 90 days, work with a visa.”
There are routes
Industrious businessman and FIS chairman Johan Eliasch supports the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes in competitions under the International Skiing Federation. EPA/AOP
So far, the Finnish government has not made a policy regarding athletes competing in, for example, the World Cup. There is no need to make a line yet, because the time for a significant decision is on Tuesday.
Although the eastern border is closed, Russians and Belarusians can get to Finland, for example, by flying through certain countries if they have a visa.
The position of the Finnish Ski Association is clear. Chairman Sirpa Korkatti opposes the return of Russian athletes to international competitions. Finland will be represented at Tuesday’s meeting Martti Uusitalowhose task is to put Finnish opinion on the table.
Uusitalo did not want to comment on the matter to Iltalehte on Monday.
Cross-country skiers compete for World Cup points after Ruka in Trondheim, Norway. Norway, for example, is also reluctant to allow Russians and Belarusians to participate in international competitions.
The story continues after the picture.
Martti Uusitalo (left) is the vice-president of the International Ski Federation and represents Finland at Tuesday’s important meeting. PASI LEISMA
The freestyle world cup competitions are held in Ruka on the Independence Day weekend. Russian athletes may also be coming there if competition is allowed again.
The slalom world cup in Levi is already scheduled for mid-November, but the Russians will hardly make it to that race weekend – whatever the decision on Tuesday. Russian athletes have also not been seen more in the white circus of alpine skiing over the years.
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The Government’s decision in principle on guidelines on the continuation of restrictions on the entry of citizens of the Russian Federation in order to secure Finland’s international relations.
When considering the conditions for issuing a visa and allowing entry to the country, it is justified to take the following special groups into account in particular:
1. Family members of Finnish citizens and foreigners living permanently in Finland (spouses, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and dependents, as well as those applying for a visa based on an established relationship and entering the country) in connection with traveling to Finland.
2. family members of citizens of a member state of the European Union, a member state of the European Economic Area, or the Swiss Confederation in the sense of Directive EC/2004/38.
3. persons who are coming to Finland for short-term work, lasting less than 90 days, with a visa.
4. personnel in the transport and logistics industry when traveling to Finland in their work duties.
5. business travelers who have a necessary reason requiring personal presence to travel to Finland for business.
6. students who come to Finland for short-term (less than 90 days) studies leading to or part of a degree, including participation in an entrance or aptitude test.
7. persons whose entry is based on an established nursing relationship in a nursing facility located in Finland.
8. owners of real estate or housing stock who have already owned an apartment or real estate in Finland before September 30, 2022, to the extent that the purpose of the trip is necessary and urgent maintenance or care of the apartment or real estate, which requires the personal presence of the owner.
9. Staff of diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation accredited to or sent to Finland and their family members, diplomatic couriers and personnel of diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation who use the territory of Finland in transit to perform their official duties, and their family members.
10. other persons traveling for a special reason based on individual consideration.
Source: raja.fi
Jelena Välbe in Kuusamo in 2020. Välbe is the president of the Russian Ski Federation. Pasi Liesimaa