Mikhail Viktorovich Botvinov (); born 17 November 1967 in Lidinka,

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

) is a Russian-born Austrian cross-country skier who competed from 1990 to 2007 for both Russia (until 1996) and Austria (since 1997).

Career

He won two medals at the

Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games (), also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held i ...

with a silver in the men's 30 km freestyle mass start event in

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

and a bronze in the men's 50 km freestyle mass start in

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

(Both for Austria). He also competed for the Unified Team in the

1992 Winter Olympics The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Albertville '92 (Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Arbèrtvile '92''), were a winter multi-sport event held from 8 to 23 February 1992 in and aroun ...

and for Russia in the

1994 Winter Olympics The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, were an international winter multi-sport event held from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Hav ...

. Botvinov also won the 50 km event at the

Holmenkollen Ski Festival The Holmenkollen Ski Festival ( or ) is a traditional annual Nordic skiing event in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway. The full official name of the event is Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic. History It takes place in March and has been arranged every ...

in 1999, becoming the first Austrian to win the prestigious cross country event. He also won the

Vasaloppet (Swedish language, Swedish for 'the Vasa race') is an annual long distance cross-country skiing (sport), cross-country ski race held on the first Sunday of March. The course starts in the village of :sv:Berga, Malung-Sälens kommun, Berga, jus ...

event in Sweden two years earlier. His biggest successes were at the

FIS Nordic World Ski Championships The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships is a biennial Nordic skiing event organized by the International Ski Federation (FIS). The World Championships was started in 1925 for men and opened for women's participation in 1954. World Championship eve ...

, where he won three medals. He won a bronze in

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

for Russia in the 4 × 10 km relay. In

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

, representing Austria, won a gold in the 4 × 10 km relay and a bronze in the 50 km. Botvinov emigrated from Russia to Austria in 1996 and was forced to sit out both the 1996–97 FIS World Cup Season and the

1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 (), were a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Nagano, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, with some events ...

in Nagano until he could his citizenship status clarified, but returned to form in 1998. He also encountered controversy with his teammate Christian Hoffmann regarding blood doping in 2002, though both were cleared by the

International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...

on 9 April 2002. Botvinov retired after the 2006–07 World Cup season.FIS Newsflash 122. April 11, 2007.

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).

Olympic Games

* 2 medals – (1 silver, 1 bronze)

World Championships

* 3 medals – (1 gold, 2 bronze)

World Cup

Season standings

Individual podiums

*2 victories *19 podiums

Team podiums

* 4 victories * 17 podiums Note: Until the 1999 World Championships, World Championship races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

References

External links

* * * * - click Vinnere for downloadable pdf file
skifaster.net April 9, 2002 article clearing Botvinov and Hoffman.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Botvinov, Mikhail 1967 births Austrian male cross-country skiers Cross-country skiers at the 1992 Winter Olympics Cross-country skiers at the 1994 Winter Olympics Cross-country skiers at the 2002 Winter Olympics Cross-country skiers at the 2006 Winter Olympics Holmenkollen Ski Festival winners Living people Soviet male cross-country skiers Russian male cross-country skiers Olympic cross-country skiers for the Unified Team Olympic cross-country skiers for Russia Olympic cross-country skiers for Austria Olympic silver medalists for Austria Olympic bronze medalists for Austria Vasaloppet winners Olympic medalists in cross-country skiing FIS Nordic World Ski Championships medalists in cross-country skiing Medalists at the 2006 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 2002 Winter Olympics Russian emigrants to Austria Naturalised citizens of Austria 20th-century Russian sportsmen 20th-century Austrian sportsmen