Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev believes that the change of sports citizenship by Russian athletes raises questions among the majority of the country’s citizens, and athletes who flew to the Olympics in a neutral state are being unfairly criticized.
“Our Paralympic athletes are still performing under a neutral flag. I am sure that we will return with the flag and the anthem, we are working on it. And it is unfair that our athletes, travelling under a neutral flag, were attacked; But those who change their sporting citizenship raise questions for me personally, I’m sure this raises questions for most citizens of the country.” – states Degtyarev.
The minister also spoke about the vile anti-Russian company that has been corrupting our elite sport for years:
“We are also working on the issue of anti-doping. We as a state are interested in eradicating evil, I mean doping. We are allies of WADA, so don’t expect any surprises from me.”
Do you remember, dear readers? On the morning of September 4, the disposition was as follows: those who acted and act in Paris are not traitors, but there are questions for those who change their sporting citizenship due to the impossibility of participating in official international tournaments outside the country.
And now we are partners of WADA, until the final eradication of doping in the orderly and united ranks of Russian athletes, who are competing for four consecutive Olympic Games without the flag, the anthem and the coat of arms of the great Power.
By the way, Degtyarev believes that Russian athletes should express their dissatisfaction with the IOC policy through social networks:
“We need to start a movement from below to express discontent with the IOC policies. So that athletes can speak out for the return of Russian athletes to the field. Everyone has WhatsApp, Telegram, all over the world. It is necessary to use the “networks” of our champions. We must speak for our homeland, for Russia, for our athletes. Our athletes have friends all over the world.”
Mikhail Vladimirovich, the message seems correct. But we all perfectly understand how such “expressions of discontent” will end for neutral athletes of Russia.
Brothers/non-sisters will be immediately reported to the IOC and relevant international federations and “critics” will be banned completely. If “likes” and family photos get you out of the race, then complaining on the “grids” will be issued a “wolf ticket” for life.
Here is the honored coach of the USSR. Tatiana Tarasova questions the minister’s wishes:
“I don’t think that the opinion of the majority of athletes can have any influence. Let’s hope so, but probably not. Do you think that the people who disqualified us are monitoring the Internet, where Russian athletes write something?” All discussions must be conducted by the country’s leadership and the Ministry of Sports.. In principle, I support this idea. But I think it will not lead to anything.”
She is also an Olympic champion in speed skating and a member of the State Duma. Svetlana Zhurova His ideas inspire a certain optimism and faith in a bright future:
“The leaders of international sports organisations publicly have a negative attitude towards Russia, because they need to leave their mark. And on the sidelines they say that they are waiting for our return. Many of them are partly hostages of this situation and conjuncture.
And for many years now, the presidents of our federations in various sports have maintained warm relations with the leaders of similar international organizations. Of course, you can close the doors, leave and destroy everything. But we understand that after a while we will return. And they must return in full.
Every conflict ends, so we need to build relationships again. Perhaps today there are certain signals that the presidents of the international federations are giving us. As far as I know, some of them held their own congresses, to which they invited our representatives. And they said that they probably need to send you back soon. Because in many sports there is a leading country and without Russia there is no rivalry. And this is no longer of interest to sponsors or fans. I think that we should not slam the door, but continue to systematically work with the international federations, maintaining working relations with them.”
Svetlana Sergeevna is right in many respects. International officials would vote with their hands and feet for the full return of our athletes to the major world and European tournaments. Because, as they were received in Russia, as they were poured, treated, rolled, floated, hugged and wrapped with them, nowhere else were they nourished like this.
An IOC chief is a fierce Russophobe Thomas Bach I probably ate more black caviar in Sochi than the entire Brezhnev Politburo at the opening of the Moscow Olympics.
But no one is asking these officials, and no one will ask them, because the powers that be are probably intent on “wetting” Russian athletes to the very end, twisting their arms and forcing them to change their sports citizenship out of desperation.
For me personally, the point of no return was March 2022, when the Russians, having traveled thousands of kilometers, arrived at the Paralympic Games and learned that at the last moment they had been deprived of the right to compete in the main winter tournament of the four-year-olds.
And this is what the coach wrote on social media: Irina Gromova: “As soon as the decision was announced, we played the anthem at full volume, sang and hugged each other. After we found outThey played a hymn that had not been heard for many years, We sing together and He ripped all the patches off the flags.“
And now there is no need to hide and cover up the country’s symbols, because on orders from above, the IOC sews and makes uniforms, flags and plays music for the neutral Russians admitted at its discretion. As a very famous song says: the show goes on.
And in this situation we have the right to ask ourselves: is there any hope of our triumphant return with unfurled flags and to the immortal music of Alexandrov?
There are no prerequisites. There are a lot of opinions and positions, top world stars are in no hurry to attend our local tournaments for fear of sanctions, and with the Friendship Games themselves, which should start in Moscow and Yekaterinburg in 11 (eleven) days, nothing is clear.
What to do in such a situation, when your head is spinning and there is so much anger and rejection around you? Believe in the best and, when the pressure is especially strong, sing the Russian anthem. Just like our Paralympic athletes sang in Beijing.
Meanwhile, the president Vladimir Putin He congratulated the gold medal winners of the Paris Paralympic Games by telegram. The man on holiday immediately commented on the high praise of the head of state. Dmitri Guberniev:
“I wonder how the leavened ones will survive all this… The athletes and these telegrams act without flag or anthem!!! “A??? Kvass??? Lapotnye??? Informers??? All the champions received a congratulatory telegram!!! All our wonderful Paralympic champions!!! And if the Paris Olympians had won gold, they would have received a huge congratulatory message too!!! Here are the traitors for you… (no) Sports heroes!!! True!!! Ours!!!”
PD “Dima is smart. Be like Dima!
