"We will be the last to be banned in winter sports"

In a month, it will be four years since Russian biathletes do not compete on the international stage due to sanctions. For the main stars, the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing turned out to be the latest global launches. Maxim Tsvetkov, who won a bronze medal in the relay there, continues to participate in tournaments within the country, but is no longer among the best, and also periodically skips individual starts. So, last week he ran at the stage of the Cup of Russia in Demino, this weekend he is skipping the stage of the Commonwealth Cup in the Belarusian Raubichi and is preparing for the final of the Commonwealth Cup, which will be held in Sochi in February.

In an interview with Izvestia, Tsvetkov explained why he performs in this mode, assessed the chances of returning to the international stage and spoke about the level of domestic competitions.

"I'm not really rushing forward"

— How would you rate your current form?

— I'm still looking for a uniform after my illness. I can't say that I'm in perfect condition. I'm recovering, and while I'm trying myself, I'm watching how my body responds to racing and the training process. And rather, my recent starts are aimed at looking at my condition and adjusting my preparations for the February starts in Sochi, since I'm skipping the stage in Raubichi. And Demino was the last opportunity to evaluate his form. It is clear that we still need to seriously improve.

— We talked with you in May, and then you said that you no longer have the task of necessarily competing for high places, but simply participating in official competitions for your own pleasure. Has anything changed since then?

— No, everything is the same. It's just like I said at the time. I try not to perform where I cannot show a more or less optimal result and have fun. If I got sick at the beginning of this season in December during one of the stages in Tyumen, then it didn't make sense for me to rush somewhere, get better quickly and run the race. So I calmly went home from there and practiced. In early January, he also did not come to Izhevsk for the first stage of the Russian championship, because he was not in optimal shape after the New Year. I missed competitions and only decided to go for a run in Demino. I'm not really rushing forward. Yes, I want to show better results, but I do everything possible and for my health.

— What would you say about the leaders of the competitions you run in? To what extent do they maintain their level and are they ready to return to the international arena if necessary?

— I would say in individual races that the guys can show good results and fight. I liked the mass start at the Russian Championship in Izhevsk. They worked well at the firing line there, moving in contact. The competition turned out well — I liked it. In some races, of course, shooting slightly fails — even the leading Anton Smolsky performs slightly below his level in some starts. And the competition in these races has already become a little lower.

"Nepryaeva and Korostelev will compete for medals at the Olympics"

Biathlete Kristina Reztsova — about the chances of Russian skiers at the Games in Italy and the likelihood of their admission to the World Cup

"I would like to try to compete at the World Cup"

— Have you followed in the last two months the seemingly beginning of the Russians' disbandment in winter sports, which, however, has not yet reached the biathletes?

— I'm following, but I don't go into much detail. Because everything will be very difficult with biathlon. I said before that, and I repeat, that we would be the last to be allowed to international competitions. It's all about guns. In addition, most of our biathletes are members of the Central Army Sports Club (CSKA). So we'll be the last to be allowed in. That's why I keep track of how skiers, luge skiers and others of ours are allowed to participate in winter sports, but only in order to keep up to date. I don't go into details.

— But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) lifted its recommendations a year ago not to allow athletes from CSKA and Dynamo associated with law enforcement agencies. The leaders of the CSKA national team even took part in fencing at the World Championship.

— This is still the work of individual federations. Everything depends very much on the type of sport. It depends on which countries are represented in the governing bodies of international federations. Our International Biathlon Union (IBU) is mostly run by Europeans. It's generally more of a European sport, largely Scandinavian — their national teams dominate there. And the management's policy is appropriate. Plus the weapon factor plays a role. I can't imagine how they will let us into these countries with our rifles. Although Anastasia and Karim Khalili seem to have traveled to Europe for training camps and received permission to transport weapons. But it's hard to say when the Russian team will be able to go there. She still can't even go to training camps in Europe — only for individual athletes.

— Do you think biathletes will be allowed in even later than representatives of game sports like football players and hockey players, who are also having a very difficult time with the drug?

— I would talk about winter sports. We will definitely be the last ones in them.

— If our biathletes do get admission in the coming years, will you try to participate in the World Cup at least once?

— I would like to try (smiles).