On the opening day of SPIEF 2023, the “Olympic Games in Artifacts. From the collection of Vladimir Potanin. And now I watched the exhibit among the guests Dmitry Vasilievwho looked curiously at the stand, where there were photographs of himself – young, of a stormy Olympic youth.
Here we asked for time to talk about what’s going on with global sport and where everything is going in general.
“The IOC and Bach have completely discredited each other”
– Dmitry Vladimirovich, you won two Olympic gold medals in the 4 × 7.5 km biathlon relay – this was in Sarajevo-1984 and Calgary-1988. Are these medals in perfect condition now? Can you see your reflection there?
– The Sarajevo Medal was made in a shiny version, and you can see the reflection on it. But even that is distorted, because the medal is not very equal. This is how it was designed during production. And Calgary’s medal is dull, and there’s no point looking at it.
– Some champions, finding themselves in a difficult financial situation, put their rewards on sale. Did you allow this, even though the money went to charity?
“That never crossed my mind!” Yes, I lived in the 90s. He ended his career in 1989 – he happens to be 27 years old. In fact, for a biathlete, it’s the prime of life. But things happened like that, not my fault.
And the collapse of the Union began. It was very hard. There were times when I really had nothing to fill the car with. Not even to feed a family.
So everything happened. But I’m an optimist in life, and I believe that all the hardships are given to check it out and for you to rethink your life, look at it from the sidelines, from a different angle – and take another path. I was expecting.
And selling your Olympic awards is such an extreme that a person comes very rarely. And if he did, then very strong circumstances influence him.
– Most likely, our biathlon will enter the new season without international competitions. What do you think about it? Or has the situation become familiar?
“Yes, you don’t have to pay attention to it at all. Why look back all the time? We only have to look ahead. Because we don’t know how long we’ve been suspended. Maybe forever. C is in this format, I mean. After all, formats change.
Well, the International Olympic Committee, led by Thomas Bach, has completely discredited itself. They broke every possible law. And I generally consider it inappropriate to go back to that structure with that leadership.
At the very least, leadership must change. And at most, you have to create some structure, maybe within the framework of the IOC, that would not allow the illegal things that have been done to be done.
The same World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – this organization does not report to anyone. Although it was created for completely different purposes. Only test athletes, and nothing else. And now it’s actually a punitive body.
What did they do? Athletes were divided into healthy and sick. Thus, the “Pandora’s box” was opened. Norwegians with their asthma are just the tip of the iceberg. It’s the most harmless thing you can think of. These lists of drugs that they are authorized – I am amazed that they do not win everything with such a drug.
All this must be abolished, abolished. And you have to create something else in the new format, which has to be mastered. No need to despair. We must move forward. Gather your ideas and think about what format you can choose to make it acceptable to everyone.
“Norwegians are legalized dopers”
– You have repeatedly denounced the Norwegians that they actually use doping with this list of authorized drugs. Has Norway ever tried to take legal action against you?
– It’s never happened before. And I’m really looking forward to it. I really want them to come after me. I always say that those who win medals are legalized dopes.
What am I wrong? They are under a very fictitious pretext that they are very sick people, they win almost all competitions. At the same time, illegal drugs are consumed legally.
That’s why I call them that. I remember how in 2020 in Anterselva during the World Championships, I said this on . But for some reason, I didn’t even get a call.
– And why? your version.
Because they have no argument against it. I’m telling the truth, I’m not offending anyone. I’m just explaining what’s really there.
– In personal communication, did you feel that the opinion of foreigners about you had changed in any way, with whom did you communicate in the 80s-90s?
– Let’s start with the fact that I do not communicate with them. I see the abomination that was first written abroad in relation to the same Alexander Loginov and our other athletes, that Russians should be expelled, disqualified, banned anywhere. Besides, this is not said by officials who seem supposed to lead such a wave, but by foreign athletes themselves. Thanks to Thomas Bach, who completely dismissed the athletes. They have no right to make political statements! They should only occur in sports arenas. Here is their goal. And only civil servants and sports officials can enter politics. So they have to make statements, and in a balanced way. But that doesn’t happen.
– Do you think that after the checks and violations observed, a criminal case will one day be brought against the President of the IOC? Or is he honest?
– Of course, Bach is far from being naive. And not stupid – you can’t blame him for that. But at the same time Bach was under a harsh influence. We understand from whom. He who pays is he who influences him. It happens in the open.
But at the same time, as a man of honor and conscience, Bach had to stand up and say, “Guys, I don’t want anything to do with this!” I leave”.
And then everyone would respect Thomas Bach. But he doesn’t. This means that he participates in the whole process. He is one of its initiators.
Will Bach go down in history as the killer of the Olympic movement?
– Yes, and I said this in December 2017, when a decision was made about our team – it was not allowed in the Olympics in Korea with the Russian anthem and flag.
I then said, “If events develop in the Olympic movement in this way, then in 5 to 10 years it will simply not exist.”
In principle, I was not much wrong about the dates. The Olympic movement is gradually coming to an end.
“Under these IOC conditions, we don’t need to go to the Paris Olympics”
– Will another IOC President stand for a new term?
– I really hope.
“Or will they elect the accommodating again?”
– The main thing is that a person conscientiously fulfills his obligations. This is what is important. You must follow the Olympic Charter.
For the situation to change dramatically, a lot has to happen. First, the world itself has changed dramatically. And to change Thomas Bach, everything must be more or less clear and relatively fair in the international situation. Because absolute justice does not exist.
But at the international level, one day – I’m talking about the global, not the sport – it will be time to sit down at the negotiating table. And when the leading countries agree among themselves on the new rules of the game, then after that it will be possible to say that it is necessary to restore order in the international Olympic movement.
– Can you imagine that the IOC will one day be led by a Russian representative? Who could be?
“Now it’s too early to talk about it until the situation in the world changes. But there are always honest and sincere people. But when will all this be? There’s no point in give names now. The situation can change another 25 times. And will the same Stanislav Pozdnyakov (head of the ROC) want to take part in this process?
– Give a balanced forecast, when will Russia fully return to the international sports family?
– When country leaders sit down at the negotiating table. It can take any amount of time. Therefore, we must move forward. Create new tournaments within the framework of the BRICS.
Yes, perhaps many will be ironic about this. But let’s remember the same biathlon, which began with two countries – Sweden and Norway. It was a patrol race between border guards. And then, too, many smiled. But biathlon has become one of the most popular sports in the world.
It will take time to develop. But the new format being created will keep the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and all the officials who have advocated the withdrawal of Russian and Belarusian athletes in suspense. We just need to move forward, developing a new algorithm of actions.
– What is your premonition, in what status will our team go to the 2024 Olympics in Paris? Now they are asking for papers to be signed. Are you going for this?
– Under the conditions put forward by the IOC, I am categorically against participation in the Paris Olympics. Four or five years ago, when we were suspended from international competitions on bogus doping charges, I said, “Okay, you can donate the anthem and the flag.”
But now the situation is fundamentally different. And according to the charter, the IOC had no right to exclude us from the Olympic movement. After all, athletes are not responsible for the actions of governments and states. They are just athletes. On what basis were we removed?
– That is to say that we must abandon the Paris Olympics?
Yes, and everything will be fine. I don’t think you should go there at all. There will be obvious provocations, our athletes will be prosecuted there. Remember Munich 1972. But then the situation was much better than today. So why bother? What is the need for this?
– And if someone wants to go there individually, talk with refugee status?
– Second, athletes who train and prepare at public expense should follow corporate ethics and listen to what they are told. It may be hard. But I think that’s fair.
If they go to the Olympics alone, apart from the Russian team, they must return to the state all the money spent on their preparation.
– And hand over the passport?
– No why? Such measures are not necessary. Why deprive them of citizenship? But people make their choice. After all, we are a free country. We have the right to make our own choices. But the money must be returned. The state has spent a lot of money on you. Give them back. And play anywhere.
– And the way back to the Russian national team in such circumstances will be closed?
– Yes of course. And that’s also right. It is their choice. Doesn’t need to be banned. But you need to clearly understand what he will threaten.
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.
