Finland gjør som Sverige og Norge, følgende formidler de med tanke på at de ikke vil stå på startstreken i Davos og Dresden når de arrangerer verdenscuprunder senere i desember.

Teksten nedenfor er fra det finske skiforbundets nettside, oversatt fra finsk til norsk ved hjelp av Google sitt oversettelsesprogram, så det tas derfor forbehold at noe kan være ukorrekt/upresist oversatt:

The coaching management of the Finnish cross-country team has decided, together with medical experts, not to compete at the World Cups in Davos, Switzerland, and Dresden, Germany, due to the accelerating corona pandemic situation.

The decision was prepared in close collaboration with the coaching staff and physicians. Discussions also extended to other Nordic countries; views on the situation were shared between Swedish and Norwegian coaches and doctors.

According to Maarit Valtonen, Chief Physician of the Olympic Committee, the decision-making process strongly weighed the perspectives of healthcare and sports, as well as the effects of travel. In addition, the practices of the Ruka World Cup and their functioning provided background information for decision-making.

“Unfortunately, at Ruka, we found that attitudes towards the coronavirus vary considerably between different people. When the Ruka World Cup was the first big event of the season, the organizers built a competition bubble according to the best knowledge, but due to the variability of the participants’ common understanding and commitment, the competition bubble did not materialize as required, ”says Valtonen.

Valtonen emphasizes the co-operation between the International Ski Federation (FIS) and different countries, so that international competitions can be organized despite the pandemic situation.

“The corona epidemic situation in Europe is difficult and national teams have a big responsibility if they travel between countries. Every effort must be made to ensure that athletes and background individuals do not become infected and do not spread the potential infection further. We definitely want to promote co-operation between FIS, teams and organizers so that international competition is possible as soon as possible, ”concludes Valtonen.

Alternative plans are being made for northern snow
According to the head coach of the cross-country team Teemu Pasanen, the decision was not easy, but looking at the whole it makes sense not to travel with a team that is inevitably big in cross-country skiing.

“In this situation, it doesn’t make sense to leave the world, the risks are too great. We want to ensure preparation for the main goal of the season, which is the World Championships in Oberstdorf, ”says Pasanen.

Plans for the December training period have already been made. Snow conditions are good in Finland and movement within the country with special arrangements is relatively safe.

“Northern Finland has good snow conditions for training. In addition, a functional training bubble for athletes has been built in Rovaniemi, among other places. I believe that we will be able to prepare for the spring competitions with high quality, even though the tough World Cup competitions are not in the program right now, ”Pasanen continues.

The national team adapts to the competition situation and, if necessary, organizes its own camp and training competitions on domestic snow. Efforts have also been made to ensure the training conditions for athletes at the national team level and the opportunity to travel in Finland at the level of the state administration. Detailed health safety instructions have also been prepared for the national team.

The decision on the continuation of the World Cross Country Skiing Cup for the Finnish team will be made later. The Tour de Ski is scheduled to start on 1.1.2021 from Val Müstair, Switzerland.

The Finnish ski jumping national team has already made a decision not to compete in the World Cup in Nizhny Tagil, Russia next weekend.