“It’s a shame that swimmers weren’t given neutral status before the Olympics. But better late than never” – Guberniev

It is a pity that Russian swimmers began to receive neutral status after the Paris Olympics, but better late than never, the channel’s presenter and commentator told . Dmitry Guberniev .

The All-Russian Swimming Federation (RSF) announced on Wednesday the appearance of a group of athletes who will compete in neutral status. The Swimming World Cup will take place in Singapore from October 31 to November 2.

— It would be strange if the swimming federation, which did not allow athletes to participate in the Olympics, now somehow intervened, taking into account the vector of development of Russian sport and the opinion of the Minister of Sports. Of course, a spoon is expensive for dinner. It’s a shame swimmers didn’t get status before the Olympics. They could go there. But better late than never. So we wish you good luck. This decision once again highlights the horror that we call “the refusal of swimmers to go to the Olympic Games”. People didn’t lift a finger.

When the President of the Russian Federation says that it is up to the athletes themselves to decide whether to go or not, it seems to me that the leaders of the sports federations should not get involved. Their task is to help athletes and provide conditions. When uncles and aunts tell athletes how to properly love their homeland, then uncles and aunts sit in a puddle. An example of how to interact correctly is the kayak and canoe federation. People went to the Olympics. Perhaps in a truncated composition, but still. Unfortunately, we finished fourth twice. And then we brilliantly won the World Championship! In the same neutral status. We received congratulatory speeches from the Russian president,” Guberniev told .

Earlier, FSM President Vladimir Salnikov told that world record holders Evgenia Chikunova and Kliment Kolesnikov were not yet among the swimmers who applied for neutral world swimming status. The FSM said swimmers would begin receiving neutral status ahead of the world championships, which will take place Dec. 10-15 in Budapest. This week, Andrey Minakov and Nika Godun were granted neutrality status.

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