“I take it calmly.” Metelya – about the non-admission of Russian biathletes to the 2026 Olympics

Russian biathlete Victoria Metelya said on Match TV that she calmly accepted the exclusion of Russians from participating in the 2026 Olympic Games.

Earlier, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) published updated data on the distribution of quotas for participation in the 2026 Olympic Games. Participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in qualifying starts is not provided. Russian and Belarusian biathletes have been suspended from international competitions since 2022.

— If at first I had hopes and expectations, then before the start of the season I definitely didn’t have them anymore. I’m calm about this. It is clear that it is a pity. But I don’t know this atmosphere, I didn’t feel it. That’s why I don’t have such emotions. Although, of course, I would like to try to perform at this level,” Metelya said on Match TV.

On Saturday, Metelya won the mass start as part of the Lanta GV Gold Cup of the International League of Club Biathlon (MLKB) in Khanty-Mansiysk.

The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo from 6 to 22 February.

Watch live broadcasts of MLKB races on TV channels of the Match holding company, as well as on the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.