The general secretary of the Ski Association, Michel Vion, apologized for his misunderstood statement.
FIS General Secretary Michel Vion had not formulated his statement well enough. PDO
Secretary General of the International Ski Federation FIS Michel Vion this week hinted at the participation of Russian and Belarusian skiers in international competitions even this year. Vice-president sitting on the FIS committee Martti Uusitalo told Iltalehte that he had talked with Vion about the scandalous statement on Sunday.
– He said that this was a big mistake from him. This is not what he meant, Uusitalo said about the conversation.
– Vion said that he had meant and referred to the IOC’s statement a week ago.
President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach instructed sports federations to prepare for the return of Russians and Belarusians to the competition fields. The schedule was not precisely defined.
Vion had apologized for his statement, which sparked outrage in the sports world. Coop, FIS’s main cooperation partner, said earlier that it would withdraw from cooperation if Russians and Belarusians return to the slopes.
– He was sorry that he had said things that were interpreted as they were.
The opinions of Uusitalo and many other colleagues have been unconditional. As long as Russia is on Ukrainian soil, the countries cannot be allowed to the World Cup.
– I told Michel directly that this inappropriate exit was not good for this time or moment, no matter how it was mispronounced. This was a sad situation that will be rectified.
According to Uusitalo, the FIS never had any intention of changing the spring decision on the right of Russians to participate in international competitions. In the phone conversation, it had turned out that the issue had not been discussed behind the scenes either.
The final decision of the matter would have been decided by others than Secretary General Vion.
The Finnish FIS boss believes that the IOC’s instruction is also about long-term thinking.
– I personally don’t think that the IOC means that the participation of Russian athletes is possible when hostilities are on. At some point, when that situation arises, sport can be the first to open that bridge, Uusitalo said.
In his opinion, you need to start building relationships at some point. That time is definitely not yet.