Last Saturday came the decision of the International Skiing Federation (FIS) not to let Russian or Belarusian skiers compete in the World Cup next winter because of Putin's war against Ukraine and Belarus' participation in the same.
- We have decided to follow the IOC and their recommendations.
The IOC and their charter say that we as Olympic sports must "promote" peace through sport and that is very important, said the Swedish Fis director Johan Eliasch.
Veronika Stepanova, 21, made great strides last season.
Among other things, she sprinted down the Swedish and Norwegian teams at the World Cup relay in Lillehammer.
She did the same at the Olympics in Beijing, winning Russian gold in the relay.
She reacts strongly to the decision.
- What motivates me to continue to argue against the suspension of Russian athletes is a feeling of unfair treatment by the managers in international sports.
It is nothing but hypocrisy, remind me when athletes from Israel or the USA were banned, and for what, she tells SVT Sport.
“That didn't sound like a question..”
The longitude star continues:
- Not because they should have been banned, sports should build bridges between people, not divide them.
The planet is too small to build walls, Russia will not stop being one of Sweden's closest neighbors, you have to start accepting us just as we accept you.
Do you still have any understanding that Russian skiers are banned because of the war against Ukraine?
- That didn't sound like a question, more like a stance.
I have read what FIS wrote in their statement regarding the extension of the suspension, that is their position and that is what I have to deal with, she says in conclusion.