Four-time Olympic champion, former president of the Russian Biathlon Union (RBU) Alexander Tikhonov told that the biathlete Daria Virolainen cannot be called a traitor because she decided to play for the Finnish national team.
On Friday, it became known that the International Biathlon Union (IBU) had authorized Daria Virolainen to represent Finland in international competitions for the 2023/24 season. Last season, Virolainen competed twice in Finland, where she has lived for six years. The athlete received Finnish citizenship in 2021 and last competed internationally in the 2017/18 season.
– She has lived there for several years, married to a Finn. Don’t call her a traitor, she did something for Russian biathlon. I would say thank you for his return to biathlon. It will be a good example for future generations. At 34, she proves that age is no barrier to top sport, Tikhonov told .
At the end of January 2022, the biathlete gave birth to her third son. In July this year, reported that Virolainen was organizing a training camp in Altai at his own expense and working under Leonid Myakishev.
Virolainen is the eldest daughter of three-time Olympic champion Anfisa Reztsova. She is European champion in the single mixed relay and double silver medalist in the World Cup.
Source : MatchTV
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