Winter sports return from Russia?
Biathletes collect for air raid shelters in Ukraine
01/22/2025 – 1:16 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The return of Russian athletes to sport is controversial. Norwegian biathletes are collecting money for Ukraine – and are clearly positioning themselves.
Just recently, the Norwegian biathlon stars held up the Ukrainian flag on the podium, paying respect to their opponent Dmytro Pidrutschnyj (read more about the gesture here). The Ukrainian, who fought for his country at the front in 2022 and shared this on Instagram at the time, impressed in both the sprint and the pursuit at the World Cup in Oberhof. The support for Ukraine is particularly great among biathletes in general and a return of Russian athletes is currently not conceivable. The Biathlon World Federation (IBU) has not yet initiated a process to admit neutral athletes – unlike in other sports.
Sturla Holm Laegreid recently told “NRK”: “We all know what is going on in Ukraine, in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. That’s why we want to show our support for Pidrutschnyj and the rest of the Ukrainian people.” How? By auctioning off starting number bibs at the World Cup in February and the proceeds going to Ukraine. Therefore, the Norwegian told the German Press Agency: “We are collecting money for air raid shelters for children.”
He continued: “In the current situation it is more important to show support for the Ukrainian people rather than for the Russian athletes.” Swedish Olympic relay champion Sebastian Samuelsson described it as “irritating” that such considerations of allowing neutral athletes are even being raised while Russia continues to wage war.
As long as the war of aggression in Ukraine continues, athletes from Russia and Belarus will be barred from taking part in competitions under their own flag in most sports. The world associations have suspended their national associations.
However, the International Ice Skating Union (ISU) is taking a different approach and is already allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to take part in the Olympic qualification in the disciplines of figure skating, speed skating and short track – albeit under strict conditions. Among other things, the athletes’ public statements and appearances in relation to the war will be examined.
Other sports associations could follow this example. For the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, it seems conceivable that a selection of Russian athletes could compete under a neutral flag according to a special procedure. This was similar in Paris at the Games last year: 15 Russian and 16 Belarusian athletes started there under a neutral flag.
However, Laegreid added: “Some nations abuse sport as propaganda to put themselves in a good light. Russia has a tradition of abusing its athletes in this way.” The ski hunters in particular have connections to the military. Finding a biathlete from Russia who is capable and independent would be almost impossible.