Alexander Popov – about Russians at the Olympics: “15 people for one dead man’s chest. Who should we watch?”

I met Alexandra Popova at the final of the Russian Swimming Cup in Yekaterinburg. These are his native places, the great athlete was born in the city of Sverdlovsk-45 (now Lesnoy).

Alexander dominated the Olympics in the 1990s, winning two gold medals each at the Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996 Games. Let’s not forget five silver medals, including the one at Sydney 2000. Popov is the era of world sport, he became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1999.

It is easy to guess what the conversation with Popov was about a few hours before the start of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris.

“Rylov will shoot if necessary”

— Are you happy that such a palace of water sports has appeared in your native Sverdlovsk region?

“It’s not only joy, but also pride for our home region, for our country.” It’s great!

– Standard – like in the Olympics?

– The quality is very good. I think that it will not be suitable for the World Cup in the end. But this complex is quite capable of hosting the European Championship. We must work and fight for it. Organize, implement.

— How do you like the performance of swimmers? Some are not in top shape, but they try.

– We have to try, of course. Otherwise how? Sports are about results. About getting better, about moving forward. Do a little more than you can. We have to get faster and grow from start to finish. Exactly. And that comes with experience.

– But Evgeny Rylov won two gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics and in the Russian Cup final he had a mediocre time.

– You know, it’s not even about motivation. Zhenya knows and understands perfectly when he should shoot. He just protects the nervous system, his charge. This is a training tournament for him. He floats and has fun. He plays thanks to the thrill of what he does. But when the time comes to gather, concentrate and produce results, he will do it, believe me.

“Everything ingenious is simple. Go break world records”

— The Olympic Games opened on July 26. Will you be keeping an eye on what’s happening there?

– I’m not particularly interested. Our athletes will hardly be there. Who to follow? Maybe I’ll take a look at the 50 and 100 m freestyle, which interest me.

— Evgeny Somov unexpectedly went to Paris. Previously, he worked as a coach, and then returned to swimming. Are you curious to know his story?

– No. It’s his decision. And our swimming leaders have made their position clear. I’m not interested in anything else.

— A few months ago you said that you were against participation in the Olympic Games, even if you were neutral.

“Nothing has changed since then.”

– Humiliating?

– That’s too mild to say. We are a power. You can’t do this to us.

— At the same time, 15 Russians were admitted to Paris with neutral status. Warm-up?

“I don’t know what guided them when they made such a decision.” 15 people per death chest. How else can it be described?

– Not clear.

– Yes, and don’t try to understand. For what?

— Is there hope for 2028? Can we make it to Los Angeles? Swimmers are suffering without the Olympics, how can they make money?

— Swimmers have a very interesting situation. But everything that is ingenious is simple. Nobody stops them from setting world records. Right here, in the final of the Russian Cup in Yekaterinburg. Who stops? You can earn millions of rubles. Do it, show it. Everything is in your hands and feet. And someone can have it in their head. This is the winning philosophy.

— Yulia Efimova rushed to the Bahamas championship to qualify for the Olympics. It didn’t work out, but at least she tried.

— In general, sports are a very interesting and exciting thing. It is contagious, you win once, you want more, more and more. I understand perfectly Yulia why she was so eager to attend her fifth Olympic Games.

On the other hand, sports do not like fuss. Now, if something does not work, you just have to sit down and choose the most optimal route of movement in order to eliminate unnecessary movements. And achieve maximum results without problems. It’s just a matter of planning. Maybe there was a mistake somewhere.

— You are an honorary member of the IOC. Do they even listen to you during meetings?

— You must understand that honorary members of the IOC do not have the right to vote. We simply attend meetings and sessions. But I did not go to Paris because our team does not exist. And what should I do there? So far, in my opinion, there is no one with whom to conduct a constructive dialogue.

“Do you want to question everything that happens in our country?

Then Popov was asked again in the mixed zone:

– But don’t we need these gifts in the form of participation in the Olympic Games?

— Guys, you want to question everything that happens in our country? No? Why are you looking for an explanation then? Here is the situation. Take it as it comes. That’s it, there will be nothing else at this point. Therefore, do something here and now to show the whole world who we are. Set world records and improve your results. Everything else is just some kind of bells and whistles. What other goodies? There is nothing. There are world records, and that’s it.

— And the Olympic medals?

– Again, you have a doubt in your head. You always slip into some kind of fantasy. That’s it, at this stage there are no medals for us. Take it for granted.

— But Efimova will participate in the World Cup stages in the fall.

“And it will be a different era in the development of world swimming. Let’s see what happens. Maybe she can show the results. Let’s beat everyone we can on the track.

— Do you have any human sympathy for the guys who refused the Olympics and did not go there in neutral status? This is their golden age.

– You know, I really feel sorry for the guys. Because this is how life has been, this is the situation. And we can’t do anything about it. And their position that they did not adopt the status of neutrality, did not go to Paris and did not remain convinced is worthy of respect.

— Are you generally interested in watching Russian national competitions?

— New athletes and names appear from beginning to end. Of course, it is interesting to see how everything happens in dynamics.

— The competition in the 50 and 100 m freestyle is not so tough at the moment.

“Everything is here in waves.” And it will pass, and there will be a surge again. Guys, you have a strange position. You want everything at once. And for this you have to work hard and for a long time. Systematically. Nothing will happen just like that.

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