Biathletes show support for the Ukrainians at the Kontiolahti World Cup because of the war in Ukraine. Kaisa Mäkäräinen has helped the Athletes Committee to find tapes in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, among other things.
The war in Ukraine has been a real shock to the biathletes who circled the World Cup and the athletes have wanted to show their support to the Ukrainians. When the Kontiolahti World Cup started on Thursday with a message from the women, Ukraine was strongly present. Norwegian women, among others, held panties that read “No War, Thank You.”
Statements and support have been given to Ukraine both on Thursday and Friday, and on Saturday the Games will see even more colors of the Ukrainian flag. Invented by the IBU Athletes Committee of the International Biathlon Association, athletes are offered tapes in the color of the Ukrainian flag, which they can attach to rifles, harnesses or clothing.
An expert in Sports and has just decided on his own racing career in Kontiolahti Kaisa Mäkäräinen has been actively involved in this support of the Athletes’ Committee.
– As a local, I was immediately ready to help. I’m looking for tapes in Joensuu stores that make it easy for athletes to put on a gun or harness in Ukrainian colors. That way, you can stand behind all this together with the entire sports team, Mäkäräinen said.
The war is now personified
As soon as the war broke out, the Ukrainians announced that they would no longer take part in the World Cup at the end of the season. Some athletes are now on the front lines. Russians or Belarusians are also not seen competing in Kontiolahti or elsewhere.
Mäkäräinen says that the war in Ukraine has affected the entire biathlon family a lot.
– The biathlon team that goes around the World Cup is really close. We know each other and many have good acquaintances and friends from the Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian teams, Mäkäräinen said.
However, he thinks the war is now personified for him too.
– When you know the people who are involved there and, above all, the Ukrainians, it gets so much closer. For example, I know one who has a wife and a child somewhere in the bunker, and they’re just waiting to get out of there. Yes, it will be quite different then, Mäkäräinen said.
Two Ukrainians are still competing in Otepää
President of the International Biathlon Association Olle Dahlin told Urheilos positive news, as two Ukrainian women athletes will take part in the Otepää World Cup at the end of next week.
– At first we thought that the Ukrainians have no hope to compete anymore this season. The two athletes are now in Poland and are moving from there to Estonia. They get help from other national teams, including ski maintenance and the like, Dahlin said.
According to Dahlin, with the help of these two athletes, the biathlon community will be able to show even stronger support for Ukraine.
– We have already seen here in Kontiolahti how the whole biathlon family and the world of biathlon stand behind Ukraine. The support will be even stronger in Otepää when they are on the starting line.
The IBU has had a dialogue with Ukraine and, according to Dahlin, the situation there is terrible. The International Federation closed both its Russian and Belarusian competitions this week.
According to Dahlin, after the recent events, it was easy for the federation to react to things, even though at first the IBU suggested that the Russians and Belarusians compete as neutral athletes.