The FIS announced the emergence of a desire to return the Russians to international starts

Michel Vion, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation (FIS), said that there is a desire to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international competitions, and this desire is rapidly growing stronger.

At the end of February, the executive committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that the federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in competitions due to the situation in Ukraine. FIS has followed these recommendations. Athletes from the two countries are suspended until the end of the summer season. The decision on the winter season will be made at the meeting of the FIS Council in early October.

– At the moment, there are rules and sanctions against Russia and Belarus. It looks like the head of the IOC, Thomas Bach, has begun to think, held meetings with the international federations, and is more or less starting to open doors again. Sports should not depend on politics. This will take several weeks or months. But the idea of ​​opening the door to Russia and Belarus is starting to take shape. We are not talking about competitions in Russia, but about participation in FIS competitions and in the World Cup. FIS, of course, will not make this decision without clear recommendations from the IOC, we are waiting for them. We must decide together

The process seems to go faster and faster. I don’t know if they will be ready for the start of the World Cup, at least definitely not for the start of the Alpine skiing competition (starts on October 22), but perhaps in December there will be a solution. Probably, for the World Championships in Planica, this would be a good chance, – VG reports the words of Vion.

Vion also added that athletes are likely to be allowed under a neutral flag.

The World Ski Championships will be held in Planica (Slovenia) from February 21 to March 5, 2023.