State Duma Deputy Valuev: Russian Sports Leaders Didn’t Go to the Olympics
State Duma deputy and former world boxing champion Nikolai Valuev explained the results of Russian athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. In his opinion, the best Russian athletes decided not to go to the main world competitions.
Fifteen people went to the Olympics in the French capital. Each of the athletes passed a special filter established by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). At the moment, none of the Russians have won a single medal. The Olympic Games officially opened on July 26, and competitions in many sports have not yet started.
Valuev criticized Russian athletes who went to Paris
Valuev supported the decision of those athletes who decided not to go to the Games in Paris. In his opinion, it is not advisable for Russian athletes to go just for the sake of participation. The Olympics in Paris will be the fourth Games in a row without the Russian flag.
I said this before the Games: if you are going to go to Paris, then be prepared to win there. And to go just for the sake of participating – let’s leave that on the conscience of those athletes who went to the Olympics. And now they will have to live with this, with such a public perception in our country of their trip to Paris and the results they showed. And let no one be offended
Photo: Edgar Su / Reuters
Tennis players Pavel Kotov, Mirra Andreeva and Ekaterina Aleksandrova were eliminated from the Olympics in the singles. Swimmer Evgeny Somov failed to reach the final in the 100m breaststroke, and cyclist Tamara Dronova finished in 21st place in the individual start race.
Russian athletes at the Olympics were called heroes of sport
In an interview with Lenta.ru, the famous Russian sports journalist Dmitry Guberniev called those Russian athletes who nevertheless decided to go to the 2024 Olympic Games heroes of sport.
Photo: Marko Djurica / Reuters
“We should welcome this in every possible way. Those people who will go to the Olympics are sports heroes. We will support them. Those who do not understand this are blockheads and complete fools. For such people, Russia means nothing, not only in sports, but also, for example, our children who are taking their first steps in sports,” Guberniev said.
For all these people who are now screaming that we shouldn’t support athletes, Russia is an empty phrase for them.
Meanwhile, Russian TV channels will not show the Olympic Games for the first time in 40 years. It was noted that the decision is due to the fact that domestic athletes will only be able to compete in the competitions as neutrals.
Source: Lenta
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
