Finns support the cooling of Russian skiers, but it causes inflation.
Russian skiers were put in the yard of the World Cup in Norway before the World Cups in Drammen and Holmenkollen. EPA / AOP
The International Ski Federation (FIS) was one of many sports umbrella organizations to exclude Russian athletes from their competitions. Vladimir Putin because of the war he started.
– The only right decision, he says Iivo Niskanen.
Iltalehti interviewed eight national team skiers in the Ruka Finnish Cup. They agreed that the Russian cool is justified.
– It is unbelievable that this can happen in Europe – and the situation will continue, says Vilma Nissinen.
– The Russians should not be involved when their state has caused such a thing. What do they do in the race then? Sports in Russia are state-funded, so it’s pretty clear that they don’t run here, he continues.
When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began the week after the Beijing Olympics, the red-and-white national team was allowed to compete in the Lahti World Cup a few days later.
– When that happened, I wondered what the right decisions were. Now that you ask, I think the right solution is to have them excluded. Although athletes are not responsible for it. Of course, on behalf of athletes, Krista Pärmäkoski comments.
The Russian cool is valid for the time being. It is estimated that they will not have a return to top international sports as national teams until Putin has been sidelined.
– The situation is sad. After all, it may not feel good for the Russians that there are wars and settlements in the world through war. Hopefully everything will be resolved as soon as possible and we will see everyone on the line again next season, he says Anne Kyllönen.
Inflation
Alexander Bolshunov devoured the Olympic medals in China. AOP
The Russian Olympic Committee team was the most successful in cross-country skiing at the Beijing Olympics. Alexander Bolshunov and Natalia Nepryaeva are the toughest skiers in the country.
– In this case, competition did not suffer from inflation, Niskanen estimates.
There are other kinds of views.
– If you look at the bigger picture than sports, then the only real solution was to shut down the Russians. Of course, it’s annoying when a big country is missing. If the best athletes in the world are missing from the list, then it will eat: be it Russians or other peasants, Jasmi Joensuu estimates.
Without the Russians, the last three races of the World Cup were competed.
– It brought a really big notch and ate the atmosphere. First there was a crown and then this. Doesn’t feel the same to compete. That is why I would like things to be resolved in the best possible way, Kyllönen says.
Ristomatti Hakola was the only skier interviewed in the Northeast who did not want to take a stand on the Russian ice. He reminds people of the sport of old sports wisdom.
– They have competitions who are on the line. In a week, no one will remember who was not involved, he says.