On Thursday, Finland decided that Russian athletes will not be granted entry visas.

The Finnish government decided on Thursday that Russian athletes will no longer be granted entry visas, according to the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat.

The new rules apply from Monday, November 16. This means the restrictions will have no impact on this weekend’s season opener in Muonio.

Several high-profile Russian skiers are registered there. The program features a classic sprint on Friday, 10km classic on Saturday and 10km freestyle on Sunday.

Also Read – Season opener in Muonio: the Finnish and international names to watch

Unclear for the World Cup opener

It is unclear whether the future visa ban will apply to the World Cup opener in Ruka on November 27, or later in the season.

The Russians believe it is a deliberate strategy. At the same time, the status of Alexander Bolshunov also remains unconfirmed.

Now the Russian ski president is threatening legal action.

“I would even say that they are not just dragging their feet; they are deliberately stalling the case. The deadline is December 15, but we are not going to wait. Aleksandr and I will have a big meeting tonight where we will decide what we do next,” he tells MatchTV.

“We may take the case to court, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), because otherwise nothing can be achieved if they are going to drag out the time like this. We will handle this as quickly as at all possible,” he says.

This comes at the same time as the International Ski and Snowboard Federation says it is concerned that Bolshunov will win if he goes to court.

Read More – Confusion over Bolshunov’s comeback: Reportedly denied neutral status

“No business in Finland”

Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stated earlier this month that the government was working both nationally and internationally on measures that would make it possible to deny the Russians visas.

The reason is the war in Ukraine, which continues at full force.

“As long as Russia’s war of aggression continues, Russian athletes have no business in Finland. Letting them in would harm Finland’s international relations,” says Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen in a statement from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The government justifies the decision by saying that Russia uses sport in its propaganda and to promote the objectives of its warfare.

Also Read: Finland moves to ban Russian skiers

Also applies to existing visas

According to the Finnish newspaper, the decision also covers Russian skiers who already hold a valid visa from another Schengen country.

From now on, Russians will only be granted access to Finland if they work on tasks that are essential to Finnish national interests, such as security of supply.

However, the door is not completely closed. Thursday’s decision does not automatically mean no, but the guidelines in the decision will form the basis when the authorities assess applications.

The Russians are furious

Russian ski federation president Dmitri Svishchev is furious about the statements made in recent weeks about denying Russian skiers visas.

“‘We don’t want Russians in our competitions, and we will take this further with the authorities.’ Why on earth should the Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish federations ask for something like that? They have undertaken to host competitions under rules that are clearly established, including visas for athletes regardless of their nationality. So come on and do what you have committed to,” he thunders in an interview with Championat.

“They know perfectly well that we will defend our athletes. We have made it clear to FIS that we will take it to court if we have to,” says Svishchev.

This story is being updated.

Also Read: Season openers in cross-country skiing and biathlon: program and TV times

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