Therese Johaug (33) believes that Russian ski president Jelenä Välbe is not telling the truth about her in the Russian media.
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Russian ski president and cross-country skiing legend Jelena Välbe has stated in Russian media that Therese Johaug has been pressured to speak critically about Russian participation in cross-country skiing.
Välbe believes the proof is that Johaug hugged Natalya Neprjajeva after the 10-kilometer during the World Cup Lahti on 27 February.
– Everyone has the right to their opinions and can express them, but when you see a Norwegian athlete hug Natalya Neprjajeva after the finish, and then give an interview where she talks about that she does not want to compete against Russians .. It is clear that the leaders has asked her to say so, Välbe told Russian Sport24, wrote Dagbladet Monday.
Johaug won 1.2 seconds ahead of Russian Neprjajeva.
The 32-year-old is charging up to the Reistadløpet (50 kilometers) outside Bardufoss on Saturday. The cross-country queen answered questions from the press for a few minutes at a digital media meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
VG asked questions about Välbe’s accusations.
– Have you been pressured to speak out critically about Russian participation in cross-country skiing?
– No, Johaug answers.
– What do you think about Russian participation in cross-country skiing in the future?
– As long as the war is going on, I do not think it’s okay, Johaug answers.
– What do you think about the way Välbe chooses to put words in your mouth?
– She can say what she wants, Johaug answers.
Johaug’s manager Jørn Ernst said this to NRK about Välbe’s statements on Monday:
– Therese has not been asked to say anything from the ski management. She speaks on her own initiative and has her own independent opinions.
–After the World Cup races in Lahti, Russia was banned from the races in Drammen, Holmenkollen and the World Cup final in Falun. Aleksandr Bolshunov, Natalya Neprjajeva and the rest of the Russian stars were in Norway when the news came that they were not allowed to go to the World Cup again after Putin’s war against Ukraine.
The Russian lubrication bus in Holmenkollen was tagged down with Ukrainian flags and slogans.
– Now it’s not safe there, our trailer was soiled with paint. The Norwegians’ behavior is very unworthy. I am shocked by this, the Russian star told MatchTV when he arrived at the airport in Moscow, wrote NRK.
Several of Bolshunovs sponsors have broken with the Russian Olympic hero after he, along with several other sports stars, lined up for Putin on i the anniversary marking of the annexation of Crimean peninsula at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on March 21.
Neprjajeva crashed when the Russian practitioners were banned fra paralympics.
– In a situation like this, there are no words that are sufficient to comfort. “I can not understand how the practitioners feel,” Neprjajeva told the news agency TASS.
It is up to the board of the International Ski Federation (FIS council) whether the Russians will be allowed to participate in the World Cup when it starts up again at the end of November.
Ahead of three miles in Holmenkollen, Johaug announced that this is her last season at the top level. The 32-year-old won three Olympic gold medals in Beijing.
In recent days, she has put everyone thoroughly in place in the National Championships in Harstad. First, Johaug took gold in the 10-kilometer on Saturday, almost two minutes ahead of number two, Marte Skaanes. On Tuesday, she became Norwegian champion in three miles, almost four minutes ahead of Margrethe Bergane in 2nd place.
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