Deputy of the State Duma Nikolai Valuev On the air of the show “There is a theme” on , he called on Russian athletes to take their words more seriously against the backdrop of ideological confrontation with the West.
Previously, track and field athlete Yelena Isinbayeva announced that she would return to work with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in September, and also noted that she had never been in the armed forces of the Russian Federation, calling her major rank “nominal”. Sports Minister of the Russian Federation Oleg Matytsin called Isinbayeva’s attitude towards her own military rank unacceptable. The Minister also noted that Elena does not represent Russia in the IOC, but rather the IOC in Russia.
– When the Vietnam War was going on, boxer Muhammad Ali dared to denounce this situation. He became a political figure. Politicians almost ruined his career. He went to Africa for some time to defend himself.
Tennis is watched by billions. Therefore, the expression of attitude to world events has a chain reaction.
The athlete is the center of people’s attention. Isolated cases are becoming a general trend. The same statement of Elena Isinbayeva. Athletes don’t understand. But during serious events in the world, they always need to read something serious about politics, and not just something glamorous.
Recently, I myself saw that the guys from the national team were informed about the provocations. Some took it with a smirk. Guys, watch your language. If you speak, then be nice, understand the consequences, understand the subject you are talking about. Or just shut up. Ideological weapons are directed against our country. If at least one opinion of an athlete does not help our country, then only this athlete will be spoken in the West.
An athlete can influence somewhere in terms of market conditions in order to secure his future. Still, if you’ve been a little hesitant the other way, that doesn’t mean you have a visa and residency indulgence and a foreign conviction pill. Because we will always be, no matter what political views we express, foreigners in the West,” Valuev said on .
Isinbayeva is a two-time Olympic pole vault champion (she won gold at the Games in 2004 and 2008), bronze medalist at the 2012 Olympics, multiple world champion and holder of 28 world records.
The Polish government’s press service previously reported that the border guard did not allow 38-year-old Russian tennis player Vera Zvonareva to enter the country to compete in the WTA tournament “for reasons of state and public security”. The WTA 250 category tournament takes place in Warsaw from July 24-30.
Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
