Alexander Bolshunov and several other Russian suburban stars will start next season in Russia-annexed Crimea, but they claim there is no politics behind the drills.
MP Tag Petersen (H) is not at all cooperative.
As a member of the Culture and Family Committee, he is also responsible for sports policy. He does not like that Alexander Bolshunov and other stars travel to the Crimea.
An area that was controlled by Ukraine until late 2014.
– Perhaps the Russians will see this as part of their region. All the time the rest of the world isn’t the same with them, Petersen says, it’s a provocation.
Tage Pettersen (H) believes that it is of great symbolic importance for Russia to set up a training camp for the famous cross-country skiers to Crimea.
Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB
Receives criticism from Reztsova
It was Yuri Borodavko’s training group that added the first training session of the season to the annexed Crimea.
Performers such as Alexander Bolshunov, Natalia Nebrizheva and Yulia Stupak will participate in the gathering.
ConnectedOne issue was first reported in Norway, and in the newspaper Vegard Ulvang, chair of the FIS Cross-Country Ski Committee, said the symbolism is important.
– Perhaps these are the most preoccupied with reputations in Russia, since they must show that even if a so-called special operation could be carried out, it does nothing about their preparations, says Ulvang.
And criticism is not limited to Borodavko and Russian cross-country skiers not only in Norway.
For the former Olympic champion Anfisa Retsova, who often speaks Russian, she hits hard in the choice of the famous coach.
– Why did he decide to set up a training camp in Crimea? The groups must be somewhere else they were before. He is not right. Reztsova says, I’m sorry, but I don’t understand why he’s doing this now Sport Express.
Cross-country coach Yuri Borodavko believes that it is only natural that they will set up a training camp in Crimea.
Photo: Torstein Bøe / NTB
Great place to train
But Yuri Borodavko does not understand why the Norwegian experts are critical.
– We have had training camps in Crimea since 2011, when it was Ukraine. There is no policy, we will only train. Borodavko tells Sport-Express that Crimea is a great city for training.
Pål Kolstø, Norwegian Professor of Russian Studies at the University of Oslo, Borodavko understands and explains that Crimea is considered part of Russia for most Russians.
– It is so ingrained that they rarely experience it as a provocation at all. Crimea is a wonderful city and is a popular holiday destination for Russians. He says they might be wondering why they shouldn’t have a training session there.
But sports politician Taig Petersen disagrees with the professor.
Sports is probably one area where Putin personally has lost quite a few faces. We must not ignore the fact that there is a reaction to it.
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