Figures show: How many times Russian skiers have been drug-tested

Doping oversight has been a central question as Russian athletes move toward a return to international competition.

According to figures given by the International Ski Federation (FIS) to SVT Sport, 136 out‑of‑competition tests have been conducted on Russian cross‑country skiers so far this year. Swedish anti‑doping expert Åke Andrén‑Sandberg reacts strongly to the scale of testing, calling it “very little,” especially when compared with the size of Russia’s cross‑country pool and with the number of tests Russian authorities reportedly conduct domestically. As a benchmark, he notes Sweden conducts roughly 3,500 tests annually across sports, implying 350–400 tests for a nation of Russia’s size would be more appropriate for cross‑country alone.

The article places the numbers in context. Even before Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian Olympic Committee had been suspended by the IOC due to the Sochi 2014 doping scandal. Doping safeguards have remained central to the debate around allowing Russians to compete internationally in cross‑country skiing again. FIS Council member from Sweden, Karin Mattsson, previously told SVT she had not received sufficient assurances that anti‑doping efforts were satisfactory during Russia’s suspension.

FIS says it has continued to order out‑of‑competition tests for Russian and Belarusian athletes during their suspension, emphasizing efforts to maintain normal anti‑doping procedures. FIS shared these testing totals with SVT:

• 2023/24 season (out of competition, Russians): total 230 tests, of which 182 in cross‑country, 9 in Nordic combined, 3 in ski jumping, 4 in alpine, 12 in freestyle, 5 in snowboard, and 15 in parasport.

• 2024/25 season to date: total 261 tests, of which 186 in cross‑country, 4 in Nordic combined, 24 in alpine, 7 in freestyle, 11 in snowboard, and 28 in parasport.

• May–November 2025: total 198 tests, of which 136 in cross‑country, 5 in Nordic combined, 1 in ski jumping, 19 in alpine, 14 in freestyle, 7 in snowboard, and 16 in parasport.

The piece notes that additional tests may have been carried out by Russian organizations. Because there is no WADA‑accredited laboratory in Russia, all samples are analyzed abroad.

Overall, SVT highlights the tension between FIS’s stated testing program and expert concerns over whether the current testing volume for Russian cross‑country athletes is adequate as eligibility and neutrality checks for a potential international return continue.