On Tuesday morning (03/01/2022) Spartak Moscow expressed its horror via Twitter: “The decision to ban our team from the Europa League is staggering. We believe that even in the most difficult of times, sport should aim to build bridges, not break them.” The footballers from the Russian capital are also paying heavily for the aggressive war of their politically responsible compatriots against neighboring Ukraine.
It’s a moderate post, the addition of which is profound: “We will focus on national competitions and hope for an early realization of the peace that everyone needs”, Spartak continues to tweet. Translated, this is nothing less than an appeal to your own government: “Stop it!”
Active athletes still very cautious
Of course, athletes in Russia themselves have to be careful when criticizing the Russian government these days. Accordingly, there are hardly any clear statements from active athletes from the country itself to be read or heard. The risk of restrictions is probably too great.
The situation is different for Russian athletes, who are constantly traveling all over the world and are hardly tied to their home country. The tennis players, for example. Daniil Medvedev, who has just been named world number one, let us know about a tournament in Mexico: “I stand for peace around the world”.
Clear statements from tennis professionals
His compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was even clearer on Twitter: “I’ve played tennis since I was a child and I’ve represented Russia ever since. But I’m clearly against war and violence. Personal ambitions or political motives never justify the use of violence!”
Likewise, Russian tennis pro Andrei Rublev made his position on the war clear at the tennis tournament in Dubai when he delivered the message “No war please” (Please No War) wrote on a TV camera lens after defeating Pole Hubert Hurkacz.
Footballer Smolov – “No to war!!”
The Russian soccer professional Fedor Smolov, who is very active in social media with 577,000 Instagram followers, simply posted a black screen on his channel with the line: “No to war!!”.
Otherwise, nothing has been publicly heard or read about Russian footballers, whose national team has been excluded from the upcoming World Cup playoff games. But by their football association (RFS), which condemned Russia’s exclusion as “expressly discriminatory”. violate this “against all standards and principles of international competition” as well as against “the ethos of sportsmanship and fair play”the RFS said in a statement.
Russian Biathlon Federation outraged
The Russian Biathlon Union (RBU) was similarly indignant about the decision of the world association IBU, according to which athletes from Russia and Belarus are only allowed to compete under a neutral flag at the last three World Cups this winter.
The RBU considers the step to be “unlawful, unreasonable and categorically unacceptable”it said in a statement on its own website on Saturday evening. “In order not to expose the Russian athletes to the risk of humiliation” and to ensure their safety, they have now decided not to compete in the upcoming World Cups or in the second-tier IBU Cup.
Source: oh yes