KAZAN, January 11. /TASS/. Russian skiers will return to competitions under the auspices of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) only under the national flag, and will not accept competing as neutrals, Yelena Vyalbe, the president of the Cross Country Ski Federation of Russia (CCSFR), told journalists.

"I don't want to be a parrot. We will return [to international competitions] only as Russians. Anything else is unacceptable," Vyalbe said at the Russia Cross-Country Skiing Cup in Kazan.

Russian skiers have been barred by the FIS from competing in international competitions since spring 2022. On October 25, 2023, FIS Board member Erik Roeste told Norwegian TV channel NRK that the sanctions against Russian athletes would remain in place for the 2023/24 season, although in March the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that they be allowed to participate in international competitions, however only as neutral athletes and under certain conditions.