"There are still prerequisites for Russian participation in the 2026 Olympics"
Dmitry Dubrovsky, President of the Federation of Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined, believes that the chances of Russian participation in the Winter Olympics in 2026 remain, he said. In an interview with Izvestia, he commented on the election of the new leadership of the ROC, assessed the likelihood of unification of his organization with related federations, and expressed hope for the imminent return of jumpers and Nordic combined at international competitions.
- How did you perceive the election of the new leadership of the ROC?
- In general, it seems to me, there were no surprises. Mikhail Degtyarev was unanimously elected as the ROC President. His creators were chosen for the leading posts of the Director General and Secretary General. I think that all of them, as well as those people who were elected vice-presidents of the organization, and the new composition of the executive committee will cope with the tasks set, first of all, by the president of the country, including at the October meeting of the council on sport. I think that the global support of Mikhail Vladimirovich from the sports community will be ensured. We can only congratulate the election of the ROC president himself and all the other leaders. I am sure they will work hard to revive our victorious traditions as a global sporting power.
- One of the key changes that took place after Degtyarev's appointment as Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation in May is the unification of several federations of related sports into one in order to comply with the structure of their international counterparts. Thus, all water and gymnastic sports have already been united. Has Mikhail Vladimirovich already talked to you and other ski federations about making your organizations the Russian equivalent of the FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation)?
- The question has not been raised yet. It's no secret that Elena Valeryevna Vyalbe (President of the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation - Izvestia) asked the Minister of Sport at a meeting about the future of skiing and snowboarding. But Mikhail Vladimirovich said that no decisions will be made about us until spring. In any case, they will be guided by the international calendar, which will be formed in the spring for the next season. But I think our sports are ready for the trends that are happening now in terms of unification of federations. They do not happen spontaneously - they have been talked about for two or three years. I think Igor Levitin (former assistant to the Russian president for sports, former vice-president of the ROC. - "Izvestia") voiced these ideas several years ago. So we are ready. Personally, it doesn't scare me. Moreover, we already have the Ski Sports Association, which is headed by Elena Valeryevna. And through this organization we try to coordinate issues on the organization of international cooperation to act not separately taken federations.
- What is the situation now with the suspension of ski jumpers and double jumpers from international competitions? Are there any contacts with FIS?
- The contacts are only of a private nature. That is, officially we have not taken part in the work of those specialized committees or subcommittees of FIS, of which our representatives are members, for more than two years. Nevertheless, taking into account the specificity of our sports in terms of rules and equipment, we still have good personal contacts with the flight directors both in jumping and in combined events. The possibilities of centralized purchase for our national teams of imported equipment and outfits, which are produced only outside Russia, are preserved. Moreover, the issue of holding international competitions on the territory of our country is being discussed. It is clear that for well-known reasons only Belarusian and Kazakh athletes take part in them. Nevertheless, FIS is aware of such competitions, they have the status of especially significant in Russia and are open for other countries.
I hope that in March not only Belarusians and Kazakhs, but also Chinese will take part in the competitions in Nizhny Tagil. So contacts at the international level remain, but the suspension trends continue. FIS extended the suspension of our athletes for the current season, but there are still prerequisites for the participation of Russians in the Olympics-2026. I would like to believe that the recent positive dynamics with the admission of Russians, which we have seen in the example of swimmers, will soon be transferred to winter sports, including ours.
- Has it become more difficult to get imported equipment? Have costs increased? Have logistics become more complicated?
- The costs have not increased. But it is becoming more and more difficult to get quality equipment.
- Do you get it on a leftover basis?
- Yes. But in ski jumping and Nordic combined the equipment is individualized. It is not sold in a store, but ordered individually for each member of the national team in terms of their height and weight parameters. The rules and regulations strictly impose requirements to the individual characteristics of each athlete. Therefore, it has become difficult to get quality equipment. Logistics is also becoming more difficult. But so far we are holding on. Largely thanks to contacts with our foreign partners, unfortunately, which are only unofficial. Nevertheless, we realize that sooner or later the suspension will be over, and we will have to return in a combat-ready state. The past stages of the Russian Cup and international starts in Nizhny Tagil give us optimism. At least our leaders are performing well and show that they would be competitive at international competitions even after two years of suspension if they were allowed right now.
- Is Kazakhstan sending any of its main athletes to these competitions in Nizhny Tagil?
- Since the World Cup calendar is formed in such a way that stages are held every week, the two strongest Kazakhs participating there, of course, cannot come to our competitions. At the last such event there was the second or third Kazakhs. But these guys are not statisticians. They came, realizing that they have something to learn from our athletes. But it is also important for ours to compete with Kazakhs to feel the competition from those who somehow participate in other international competitions.
- After February 2022, were there any risks that some of your leaders will change citizenship or end their careers?
- I will not hide the fact that some athletes received such offers. There were countries that wanted to recruit our leaders with a view to the Olympics-2026. But we withstood the onslaught. I think that the work that our federation and coaching staffs of the national teams are doing in terms of moral and patriotic spirit has its results. The guys are focused on the result and hope that the Russian team will be admitted in one or another status and will again defend the honor of the country at the most prestigious international competitions. That's why there have been no appeals to change citizenship for a year and a half already. And we are glad that we managed to keep the core of the leaders - the four who won the team silver medal at the Olympics-2022. Only Irina Avvakumova finished her career, but she planned to do it. And Zhenya Klimov, Danil Sadreyev continued to perform. As well as the women's leaders in the person of Sasha Kustova and Kristina Prokofieva. They have a good mood. They confirmed their positions at the stages of the Cup of Russia. And soon they will fly to Kazakhstan for a training camp, where they will have a match with local athletes. There we plan to check our reserve, including those guys who will go to the Russian-Chinese Games on Sakhalin in January.
- Have any of our athletes thought of signing a petition on conviction of SVO in order to get admission to international competitions?
- There were no such cases. But it should be noted that FIS did not set such strict conditions. Yes, we are already missing the third international season. But there are prerequisites for our return. One of them is that in July we were allowed to participate in the FIS Congress, where they were choosing a new president. And we participated in the voting. The position was stated that we are current members of the international federation, we are not suspended, but the current situation in the world is not favorable for the admission of Russian athletes. We are trying not to aggravate it. We hope that the situation will change in the spring.
-The decision on the ban should be made by the Congress or the FIS Council?
- The decision is made by the FIS Council - the main governing body. It consists of 17 people. Representatives of Russia are not there now. But when our athletes will be returned to the international arena, of course, we will fight, including for our representation in the FIS Council.
- Is there an understanding of who of these council members is for us, against us and neutral?
- It is difficult for me to say exactly, but probably 20-30% are for us, and 70% are against us. After all, there are more representatives of the West, including Scandinavian countries. They, including the president, dictate the agenda. But there are also forces that oppose them. Everyone understands the importance and significance of Russian athletes in skiing and snowboarding. Without them, the level of competitions and commercial attractiveness is definitely lost - everyone is talking about it. Apparently, so far FIS is ready to bear these losses, but I hope that the situation will change. Including with the arrival of the new leadership of the ROC.
- Without us, the commercial appeal is lost not only in skiing, where Alexander Bolshunov and other Russian stars dominate, but also in ski jumping and Nordic combined, where, with all the achievements of recent years, our country is not a trendsetter?
- Maybe it concerns jumpers and doubleboarders to a lesser extent. Although, given the results of Klimov and Sadreev in the last years before the ban, you can't write off our sport either. It is clear that Russia's attractiveness in the FIS system is mainly held up by the rivalry between our skiers and Norwegian skiers. But even in ski jumping the organizers and sponsors are waiting for the return of our athletes. Including those who invest money in television broadcasts.
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