Down-the-line.com/Athletics. Pole vault world champion Anzhelika Sidorova has expressed her opinion on the withdrawal of Russian athletes from international competitions.

A month ago, I lay down on the sofa and wanted to disappear from this universe. It was very hard. Now I’m doing a bit with my results. But athletics has a lot of problems, in Russia, in my opinion, it goes down slowly, not up. Everything is sad. But I live in a reality where that’s not the main problem now. And the fact that I can’t jump – yes, it’s difficult, sad, but in general I will survive if it helps in any way. I understand it’s not going to help, I just want it all to end.

If I don’t jump – well, my career has been long, a lot of titles, I’m not ashamed of that, I’ll find something else to do in life. A solid piece of sadness, pain, despair, so I don’t know…

There is no plan. Of course, it is unpleasant that such circumstances force you to finish. But it would happen sooner or later. Therefore, it may even be a little easier for me than for young people, who don’t know what hope they have for something now. I became world champion, Olympic Games silver medalist, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m lucky and some people aren’t.

Ukrainian athlete Saladukha says Russian athletes should be suspended from competing in all sports

– Are there discussions between athletes about changing citizenship?

– To be honest, yes. In athletics, it all comes down to the fact that we’ve been in quarantine for three years. And whatever you do, you accept the fact that for three years you can’t play anywhere. Of course, that slows people down. I think that stops a lot of people.

– Do you see another way out for active athletes, other than the change of passport?

– I do not see. Over the past few years, I’ve become so pessimistic. It’s true, I don’t see it. I’m very sad about this, but I don’t have an answer.

– Either end your career or change your passport?

– Yes. Probably yes, – said Sidorova in an interview on Viktor Kravchenko’s YouTube channel.

The Olympic medalist escaped from the Cuban national team when the team returned from the United States to the World Championships in Athletics