Veronika Stepanova has once again opened her verbal coffin.
Veronika Stepanova made a radical proposal. EPA / AOP
Russian cross-country skier Veronika Stepanova wants changes to the Cross-Country World Cup.
Director of the International Ski Federation James Clugnet would like FIS to discuss the competition of private teams in the World Cup.
According to Stepanova, the sport should think differently about its future.
– The system that exists today does not work. In the sport, there is less and less money available to many teams every year. Just look at Finland, which had to cut training camps this year, Stepanova told the Norwegian for Dagbladet.
Money is tight in the Finnish Ski Federation, and that’s why Iivo Niskanen also left the national team. The cash crisis of the Norwegian Ski Association was reported earlier in the spring. At that time, Johannes Kläbo also left the national team.
According to Stepanova, it is still important to organize national competitions in cross-country skiing. He also points out that it is good when countries can compete against each other at the Olympics and the World Championships.
– This should change in the World Cup.
Stepanova also told Dagbladet that big changes have been made in the sport in Russia in recent years. According to him, there have been more private investments in the sport in the country, either directly through partners for athletes or federations. According to him, there are also more and more people who want to sponsor regional teams.
He hopes that cross-country skiing will follow the example of football and ice hockey.
– Imagine a situation where there is a factory with 2,500 employees and you get an Olympic champion to use the company’s logo and give motivational speeches to the employees. Is it a good or bad investment?
– We have seen how billionaires, sheikhs and others celebrate energetically when the football or hockey team they own wins. I believe the same is coming to cross country, and that makes me happy. Owning a sports team seems to be more valuable than owning a new private jet, Stepanova said.