Yuri Borodavko, head coach of the Russian cross-country ski team, said three-time Olympic champion Alexander Bolshunov would have to miss the race on December 28 after colliding with Sergei Ustyugov the previous day.
“Alexander Bolshunov most likely will not start. If he had a brief loss of consciousness, then he had a mild concussion. And in this case, it is better for him not to act. The decision on this has already been made by 90%.
Alexander initially had a desire to speak. But when we brought the arguments of the doctors to him, he already began to tend not to start, ”quotes Borodavko DEA News.
On December 27, the skiers collided in the semi-finals of the ice skating sprint in the fifth stage of the Russian Cup, held in Krasnogorsk. This led to injuries to Bolshunov’s face, and the athlete himself said that he lost consciousness a few seconds after the fall.
Bolshunov and Ustyugov also faced off in the classic sprint finals last Saturday. The three-time Olympic champion was subsequently found guilty of the incident.
Former ex-player of Russian Premier League (RPL) club Krasnodar Yuri Gazinsky saidAs the head of the Kuban team, Sergei Galitsky, learned about his illness.