Cross-country skiing: Scandal in Russia — Alexander Bolshunov ran over a rival and was disqualified

A highly controversial video from Russia has circulated following Saturday’s sprint in Kirovsk. After the semifinal, Alexander Bakurov was catching his breath in the finish lane when Alexander Bolshunov, traveling at high speed, skied directly over him. Bakurov, visibly shocked, limped away from the scene.

According to Sports.ru, the two had already clashed during the semifinal, where they collided; Bakurov broke a pole, Bolshunov fell, and he finished last. The race jury subsequently disqualified Bolshunov for unsportsmanlike behavior and a lack of respect toward an opponent, as also reported by Nordicmag.

Speaking to Rossiya 1, Bolshunov said: “I wanted a fair fight from start to finish and didn’t like Bakurov’s attitude.”

The episode unfolded on the same day the Russian Ski Federation held a video hearing with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking to overturn the prohibition on Russian participation in the Milano–Cortina Olympics. Russia has not competed in World Cup events since the full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. CAS has fast‑tracked the matter, with a decision without detailed reasoning expected by 10 December.

The 2026 Winter Olympics are scheduled for 4–22 February and will be broadcast in Sweden by SVT and TV4.