The end of the tunnel remains distant for Russian skiers. According to Yelena Vyalbe, the president of the Russian Cross-Country Ski Federation, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) could maintain their suspension for another “ three or four years. "They could therefore miss the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games." We are always ready to come back, but I don't believe it will be possible next year, or even in the next two or three years, she explained during a press conference. Our return will be very complicated. I know all of our athletes are as frustrated with this situation as I am, but we are not going to start crawling. We must be very strong. I don't think we can come back before 2028. This will only be possible if the world changes. » Russian skiers and cross-country skiers have been excluded from international competitions since 2022 due to the conflict in Ukraine. Last October, FIS Executive Director Erik Roeste told Norwegian TV NRK that sanctions against Russian athletes would be maintained for the 2023/2024 season, despite the IOC's recommendations to reinstate neutral athletes in international competitions.
