Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Roman Tereshkov doesn’t understand the sacrifices athletes make for their careers, in order to become the best, he has to look at the situation from a different perspective. This opinion in a conversation with was expressed by a two-time Olympic snowboard champion wild vic .
Earlier, Teryushkov suggested equating changing sports citizenship with betrayal. Wild played for the US national team until the 2010/11 season, the American snowboarder received a Russian passport in May 2012.
– Mr. Teryushkov’s words that an athlete is some kind of “selfish” or “traitor” if he leaves his country to compete is naive. He was never an athlete, he doesn’t understand the sacrifices athletes make for their careers. What he doesn’t understand is that most athletes will do whatever it takes to achieve their dreams. The athlete does not care which country he represents during training or competition. We just want to test ourselves, we want to be able to become the best in the world. To be denied this opportunity is a wasted career, even a wasted life. Now, of course, everyone wants to compete for their home country, and in a perfect world, we all would. But we don’t live in an ideal world, so sometimes athletes have to make tough decisions.
Speaking of me, I want to play for Russia. Here, people appreciate my skills, appreciate what I have accomplished. So if it was about competing for another country or not competing at all, I would never condemn athletes for changing sport citizenship. Instead of blaming athletes who have left or may leave, Mr. Teryushkov should try to look at what is happening from the perspective of the athletes. Show respect and support for these athletes, and maybe when things calm down and Russians can compete on the world stage again, our athletes will come back and represent their home country with joy,” Wilde said. .
Teryushkov previously published a letter from the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation, which indicates that between 2012 and 2022, 93 Russian athletes changed their sports citizenship (67 athletes in 17 Summer Olympic sports; 21 in 3 Olympic sports). winter; 4 in 4 non-Olympic sports; 1 – in the Paralympics).
Source : MatchTV
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