The prospect of Russia's biggest cross-country star returning to international racing has taken a concrete step forward. Alexander Bolshunov has left the Russian army, according to his coach Yuri Borodavko, meeting one of the core conditions FIS sets for athletes seeking neutral status. The comments were published by Russian outlet Sovetsky Sport on October 16 and picked up by Norwegian and international cross-country media over the weekend.
Borodavko: "His chances will increase"
"Alexander's chances of achieving neutral status will increase this year," Borodavko was quoted as saying. "Bolshunov has withdrawn from the Russian army and now meets the requirements set by FIS." The coach said new paperwork has been submitted. FIS had previously confirmed it was processing the application and had asked for additional documentation. The reports do not say exactly when Bolshunov left the military.
Russian Ski Federation president Dmitri Svishchev also weighed in, saying around 200 athletes are working on neutral status applications with FIS, "among them, of course, Alexander Bolshunov". More than 150 people from Russia and Belarus have already been cleared, according to the reports, including 96 athletes.
The captain's rank problem
His military ties have been the biggest obstacle so far. In 2022, shortly before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin appointed Bolshunov a captain in the National Guard. FIS criteria require neutral athletes to have no links to the military or security agencies and not to support the war, alongside conditions such as anti-doping testing requirements.
That is exactly where his previous bid fell short. Bolshunov was not granted neutral status for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, a decision Borodavko described at the time as biased. When Russian and Belarusian cross-country skiers were first allowed to apply, only two were approved; the number of clearances has since grown considerably.
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A comeback would be a major story on the World Cup circuit. At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Bolshunov won five medals, three of them gold, making him the most successful cross-country skier of those Games. At the time he was widely seen as the biggest rival to Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. Since Russian athletes were excluded following the invasion of Ukraine, however, the now 29-year-old has not raced a single FIS event and has competed only domestically in Russia.
Whether and when he reappears on the World Cup start list remains open. No FIS decision on the application has been made public, and the federation is still reviewing the additional documents. Until then, it remains uncertain whether Bolshunov will line up against Klæbo and company in the 2026/27 season. What is clear is that by leaving the army he has removed the biggest formal hurdle himself. The next move belongs to FIS.
