Argues that Norwegian skiers should be removed from the World Cup and championships for at least five years. Now the Norwegian Ski Federation responds.

Klæbo’s rival rarely gives interviews and usually avoids the media. But now the 29-year-old is speaking out. The Russian skier Alexander Bolshunov is fed up with Norway’s dominance in international men’s cross-country skiing and believes that Norway is deliberately blocking the Russian return to international competitions to protect its own position.

Wants to remove Norway from the World Cup

Bolshunov was one of the few who regularly challenged Klæbo and the Norwegian stars for victory and podium spots. He argues that Norway’s dominance is due to the exclusion of Russian athletes since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Now he wants to ban Norway from the World Cup and championships.

“If there were no Norwegians, who would be at the top? Us, of course,” Bolshunov stated in an interview with the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaja Pravda.

“Let us in and remove the Norwegian national team for the next five years, and then we’ll see what happens,” he added.

Bolshunov believes that Norway, especially with Johannes Høsflot Klæbo sweeping the board at both the 2025 World Championships and the 2026 Olympics, has ruined the sport for all other nations.

“The Norwegians have already taken all the records. First at the World Championships, then at the Olympics. In principle, they can calm down now and let the Russians in. These records can no longer be broken; they can only be matched,” he said.

“FIS doesn’t care at all”

In early July, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided that Russian athletes would again be allowed to participate in the Olympics, regardless of political stance. This decision has faced criticism from various quarters, including Norway. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has so far rejected the return of Russian athletes but is set to reconsider the issue.

This has made the Russian ski star furious.

Also Read: IOC brings Russians back into the Olympic fold

“FIS doesn’t care at all about what the IOC says. It’s ridiculous because there are guidelines for this, but FIS does what it wants,” Bolshunov stated.

He does not doubt that Norway is the reason behind this.

“They will push until the last moment to ensure that Russians cannot participate in international competitions. Russia is their biggest competitor in cross-country skiing,” Bolshunov said.

Norwegian Ski Federation responds

Norway’s newly elected ski president, Roger Finjord, rejects the notion that Norway is maintaining the exclusion of Russian athletes to protect its own dominance.

“This is not a stance we have taken for sporting reasons, but for moral reasons. The war is still ongoing, and people are suffering. Therefore, we believe that a boycott is even more important now,” Finjord told NRK.

However, he does agree with the Russian skier on one point.

“That FIS makes decisions independently of the IOC, and so far we have not heard any signals that FIS is inclined to do otherwise.”

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