Dmitry Svishchev, president of the Russian Ski and Snowboard Federation, said the International Ski Federation (FIS) is interested in resuming international competitions on Russian territory, according to Russian media reports on July 14.
Svishchev stated that work on returning events to Russia would begin after Russian athletes are fully reinstated on the world stage. He called for the lifting of disqualifications and full restoration of Russian athletes’ rights, citing the example set by the International Table Tennis Federation, which has already allowed Russian participation.
In remarks reported by Sport24, Svishchev argued that Russia has ready high-level infrastructure, a successful track record of hosting major competitions, and a market with an audience of 150 million people. “This is a difficult task, but we intend to solve it,” he said. “Russian fans love skiing very much, so international events should be held again in our country. As far as I know, FIS is also interested in resuming competitions in Russia.”
The statement comes more than two years after FIS joined a wave of international sports bodies imposing sanctions on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian athletes and teams have been largely barred from FIS events since early 2022. The federation has not commented on Svishchev’s claims.
Svishchev’s reference to the International Table Tennis Federation underscores a broader debate within global sports bodies about the pace and conditions for reintegrating Russian athletes. While some federations have moved to allow Russian participation under neutral status or in limited capacities, others maintain full bans pending changes in Moscow’s military posture.
