Former biathletes Martin and Simon Fourcade face harsh criticism from Ukraine’s Dmytro Pidruchnyi. The two French defended themselves via Instagram with just as clear messages.
“Martin and Simon, go to hell.” It was more than clear words that Ukrainian biathlete Dmytro Pidruchnyi sent to the Fourcade brothers on social media. “How can you say sport is outside of politics when a lot of athletes with the letter Z on their clothes were at a pro-war event in Moscow?” the 30-year-old also asked.
Pidruchnyi returned to Ukraine after the war broke out and has been helping with the defense ever since.
The dispute was triggered by statements by Simon Fourcade on the Russian broadcaster “Match TV”. The 37-year-old spoke out against the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Simon Fourcade, who ended his career in 2019 and now works as a coach for the French biathlon juniors, defended himself on Instagram: “Since yesterday my accounts have literally exploded. After I told a Russian medium that the exclusion of Russian athletes was completely counterproductive, I received hundreds of hate messages. I want to make it clear once and for all: I do not support the war and I do not support the Russian government! Is that clear enough?!”
In addition, Simon Fourcade demanded that his brother Martin – to whom Pidruchnyi had also addressed his criticism – should be left out.
“Pidruchnyi, your grief does not allow you everything”
But the 33-year-old responded in an Instagram story with clear words: “I’m not used to responding to private attacks on social media, but I’m just tired of being insulted. Dmytro Pidruchnyi, your grief allows you not everything.” At the same time, Martin Fourcade made it clear: “Of course I condemn the war!”
His brother Simon also expressed his incomprehension that Russian athletes are accused of not positioning themselves enough against the war in Ukraine. “It’s quite easy for some Western European athletes, sitting comfortably on their sofa, to say: you should talk, you should take a stand, you should apologize for being a part.”