Wrestler Nayfonov in response to Viner’s words: we were not homeless at the Tokyo Olympics
Russian freestyle wrestler Artur Nayfonov responded to the words of the President of the All-Russian Federation of Rhythmic Gymnastics (VFKhG) Irina Viner, who compared neutral athletes with homeless people. He is quoted by “Championship”.
The athlete said that at the Olympic Games in Tokyo the team competed without a flag, but everyone knew that the athletes came from Russia. “We put so much work into it for someone to take away our dream?! We weren’t homeless, everyone knew us by sight,” he said.
On December 8, the IOC announced the admission of Russians and Belarusians to the Games in Paris. They will be able to take part in the tournament as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN). At the same time, athletes who support a special operation in Ukraine, as well as those who have connections with the armed forces or security agencies of Russia and Belarus, will not be allowed to participate in the competition.
In May, Wiener announced the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) desire to classify Russian athletes as homeless, since athletes have to face discrimination when selecting for competitions. She believed that the suspension could give domestic sports the opportunity to develop at the domestic level.
Nayfonov is a bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics. He also has three victories at the European Championships.
Source: Lenta
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