Skier Alexei Petukhov expressed hope for the return of Russian athletes to international competitions

Skier Alexey Petukhov called the decision of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) to extend the suspension of athletes from Russia from world competitions “bad news”. The sprinter expressed hope for a speedy correction of the situation, writes “Gazeta.Ru”.

The bronze medalist of the 2010 Olympics said that it is necessary to build a dialogue and look for opportunities for Russians to participate in international tournaments. Petukhov stated that the ongoing political events leave their mark on the athletes.

“I would like to believe that in the near future, already this year, the issue will be resolved and our winter skiers will participate in international competitions, and the summer skiers will still go to the Olympics,” the Russian skier added.

At the end of February 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) turned to international sports federations, recommending that they not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete. After that, athletes from Russia and Belarus began to be suspended from participating in competitions.