Vicarious Champ

I really don't think a RAF event will move the needle on US-Russia relations. In fact I wonder whether the US athletes attending really understand the risks. The US Department of State has a Level 4 Travel Advisory, meaning US citizens should not travel to Russia. Department of State Russia Travel Advisory There is a real risk of unlawful detention. Russia would use this as an opportunity to arrest a US athlete for some minor offense and release the US athlete in exchange for some high-value Russian held in US custody (see Brittany Griner case). Not to mention the optics of providing a commercial boost to a country that is waging war on its neighbor. It just seems like a bad idea all around.