The Skiing Association wants to stop Russians from the WC in Falun

Several Russians have been given the go-ahead by the International Ski Federation (FIS) to compete as neutral skiers next season.

But it is not appreciated by the Swedish Skiing Association.

- Since it has been decided, we have to comply with it, but it is not a decision we think is good, says general secretary Pernilla Bonde.

For SVT, Bonde reveals that the federation, with the help of the RF, is trying to get the government to deny the Russian skiers visas ahead of the WC in Falun at the turn of February-March.

- We have raised the issue further to the RF. And perhaps you can raise the issue to the Foreign Ministry, and look at which countries are allowed to travel into the country, says Bonde to SVT.

Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M), who is responsible for the visa issue, gives a written statement to TT:

"The government and the Swedish sports movement have been very clear in their stance against allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions. The government is currently analyzing what legal conditions exist to be able to deny visas to Sweden for Russian and Belarusian athletes".

Already last season, two Russian skiers were able to compete internationally again, among other things Savelij Korosteljov came fourth in the skiathlon in the Olympics. A total of 13 Russian skiers have received the green light from Fis for the coming season, writes Expressen.

Fis also allows Belarusian skiers, who have also been stopped from international participation in the past, and according to Expressen, the Swedish Skiing Association also wants them to be denied visas.

Several specialist sports federations have recently eased the restrictions imposed on Russian athletes after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This was noticed, for example, during the table tennis European Championships in Ljubljana last week, when several Russian players participated under a neutral flag. But there, only Russians who play in the French or Italian leagues on a daily basis were in the European Championship. Other Russian players were denied visas by the Slovenian state.