There was a bad mass crash in a youth skiing competition in Russia.
Jelena Välbe, the president of the Russian Ski Federation, was able to explain the skiing farce. AOP, Pasi Liesimaa
On Friday, a violent accident occurred during the student winter spartacademy held in Russia, as a result of which several young women or girls who participated in the cross-country skiing competition were transported to the hospital.
Chairman of the Russian Ski Federation Jelena Välbe told the media in his home country that there was a mass crash in the 10 km mass start. Välbe first told the media that two athletes would have been taken to the hospital. One suffered a head injury and the other had a broken arm.
Later, Välbe corrected the number upwards.
– Maybe more than nine were taken to the hospital. But they only have bruises, Välbe said and clarified that he is not in the hospital himself and therefore does not know the exact reading.
According to the Russian media, 14 competitors did not cross the finish line.
The mother of one athlete who was hospitalized assessed to Match TV that the organizers of the competition made a drastic misjudgment regarding the track. According to the mother, there was a downhill on the track, where the speeds grew too high and where there was loose snow. Before the race, the track would have been ridden, after which the surface froze.
– I absolutely do not understand how the girls were allowed to compete in such a dangerous downhill mass start. The descent is very dangerous, and many of those born in 2006–07 have not competed in a mass start race before. The organizers endangered the children’s health, the mother said.
– One girl finished with her head covered in blood. Someone was taken away on a stretcher and someone’s bone poked through the skin. Dear God, an open fracture in the hand. Several ambulances came to the scene.
The athlete’s mother demanded that the ministry investigate the matter.