Olympic hopeful Savelii Korostelev has link to Russia's armed forces
The talented cross-country skier used to represent CSKA, the sports club of the Russian armed forces. It could hamper his possibility to participate in international competitions, including the upcoming Olympic Games in Italy.
22-year-old Savelii Korostelev is seen as one of Russia's most talented skiers and as one that could challenge the hegemonic position of Norway in the sport.
Recently, he has defeated Aleksandr Bolshunov, the Russian nine-time Olympic medalist, several times.
Hopes are high in Russia that Korostelev could be allowed to take part in international competitions, including the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.
But ties with the Russian armed forces could ultimately put a stop to the skier's immanent return to international sports.
In a news article from 2023 published on the website of CSKA, Korostelev is described as a 'private' and 'military man.'
However, the skier is not listed in the current online registry of CSKA athletes, which could indicate that he is no longer part of the army club.
The Barents Observer has reached out to Korostelev for a comment, but has not received a response.
Russian hopes for a return to international sports are nurtured by a recent decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which allows the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus as so-called Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) in qualification events for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, as well as in the Games themselves.
But there are several strict conditions linked to participation. The athletes can have no ties to the military or other security agencies, and they cannot have expressed support for the war against Ukraine.
Korostelev has a Schengen visa and is reportedly ready to participate in next weekend's World Cup competition in Davos, Switzerland.
The young athlete comes from an athletic family with several top skiers. His mother is Natalia Korosteleva, who won a bronze medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. His uncle Nikolai Morilov also won a bronze in Vancouver.
Both Natalia Korosteleva and Nikolai Morilov were active members of the CSKA. They won a number of medals in international military games.
Korosteleva, who has the military rank of senior lieutenant, was even delivered a state award for her 'service to the motherland.'
The Korostelev family comes from the city of Perm. In 2024, Savelii Korostelev competed for the region of Arkhangelsk.
