The head of the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation (RCCF) admitted that there is one issue on which she disagrees with the president.
Elena Vyalbe spoke on this topic in an interview with Vyacheslav Manucharov for his Rutube channel “Empathy of Manuchi”.
The three-time Olympic champion believes that Russia should decide on its position in relation to athletes who express a desire to compete in international competitions under a neutral flag.
"Either they betray their homeland, or the whole country unites. The president says that they themselves must decide whether to go or not," Vyalbe noted.
The head of the FLGR proposed to put an end to this situation and formulate a clearer state position on the issue.
Since 2022, Russian athletes have often been refused permission to participate in competitions by the administrations of international organizations.
But sometimes they are given a chance to perform, but with conditions. One of the most controversial is the requirement to perform under a neutral flag.
For example, some Russian athletes participated in the 2024 Olympics. In Russia, their decision was assessed ambiguously.
For reference
Elena Vyalbe is a Soviet and Russian skier, public and political figure, and coach.
