Biathlon star Dmytro Pidruchnyi thinks it is far too early for Russian athletes to return to world sport.
“It would be a big mistake to let them start. After all, the war is not over,” the Ukrainian told the newspaper “Neues Deutschland”: “Russia should only be allowed onto the world stage when the war is over and they are paying for it what they have done.” Even a declaration as neutral athletes doesn’t make things any better.
“There are no neutral athletes,” Pidruchnyi explained: “We’ve had that experience before. Everyone would know that they were Russians. Fans would also wave the Russian flag.”
If the Russians return, he expects a “big boycott” of the Olympic Games. “And honestly, I would do that too, no matter how much I would have invested in this dream beforehand,” emphasized the 31-year-old.
From war action back to biathlon training
Pidruchnyi was himself drafted into the army in spring 2022 to defend his hometown of Ternopil.
“I served three months before I got the order from our leadership to start my biathlon training again. I should represent my country abroad and tell the people there how the situation in our country is,” the sprint said -Fifth from Oberhof.
That is now one of his “most important tasks in sport”.