The only Russian participants in the world's largest circus arts festival in Monte Carlo did not take part in the gala concert due to a conflict with the organizers and left the event early, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday .

The troupe under the direction of Vyacheslav Chernievsky received the jury prize, but the Russians expressed disagreement with this decision, explained festival vice-president Urs Pils. In addition, Russian acrobats “behaved badly during all rehearsals” and “always wanted to be in charge.”

Earlier, the organizers reported that Chernievsky’s troupe brought to the festival a performance with flip-up boards, which had already received the “Golden Clown” in 2000. “It is impossible to give the same prize for exactly the same work in different costumes and with different music,” Pils emphasized.

In turn, the chairman of the festival, Princess Stephanie of Monaco, explained that neither the public nor the jury understood the meaning of the song in Russian and the meaning of the inscriptions on the boards (it said “Moscow Time”). The princess added that "the special jury prize is not a low award, it is given very rarely."

RIA Novosti has not yet been able to obtain a comment from the Russian participants of the circus festival regarding their premature departure.

Let us remind you that at the 34th International Festival of Circus Arts, the Golden Clowns statuettes were awarded to an acrobatic group from China and the British lion and elephant trainer Martin Lacey Jr. The festival will last until January 24.

Russian acrobats left the circus festival early