The Alpine Ski World Cup season began on Sunday October 23 in Sölden (Austria) without the Russian and Belarusian athletes. And it should continue without them. The Council of the International Ski Federation (FIS) announced its decision to maintain the suspension of skiers from the two countries involved in the conflict in Ukraine. The sanction will apply to all FIS-stamped competitions for the 2022/2023 season. “ The Council decided, to maintain the integrity of FIS competitions and for the safety of all participants, in line with the IOC's recommendations, to maintain its policy of not allowing Russian and Belarusian teams to participate in competitions. of the FIS“, explains the body in a press release. Russians and Belarusians were already banned from competing in biathlon, a sport where they weigh significantly more than in alpine skiing. Their exclusion from the cross-country skiing World Cup events, however, promises to be much more decisive for the world hierarchy, particularly on the women's circuit.
