Olympic cross-country skiing champion Veronika Stepanova in her column on , she recalled a conversation with the management of one of the Russian regions, for which she could play in the new season.
Earlier it was announced that Stepanova, the Olympic champion Alexei Chervotkin World Cup stage winner Maria Istomine two-time junior world champion Savely Korostelev Russian Championship medalist Alina Pekletsova .
– I negotiated not only with the Arkhangelsk region. In another region, this remarkable conversation took place:
– What do you expect from me in terms of promoting your federation’s activities in the media and social networks, as an athlete from your region?
(Silence, surprised)
— What are your expectations regarding meetings with young skiers: seminars, perhaps open training courses?
– No, what are you! We understand how busy you are, we certainly won’t distract or bother you with such things!
Whoever said that is a wonderful cross-country skier, well-respected and well-deserved. He just sincerely believes that the job of athletes is to win competitions. But only. With all due respect, that doesn’t suit me. I declined the offer – there were several reasons for choosing an alternative option, but emotionally this part of the conversation upset me the most. I don’t understand a priori why we need an athlete so much if he doesn’t “sell” his successes to the younger generation, teenagers first? What is all this for, really? — wrote Stepanova.
Stepanova won gold at the 2022 Beijing Games as part of the women’s relay team. According to the results of the 2022/23 season in the Russian Cup, the 22-year-old skier became second in the overall standings.
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
