See Paris - and? ..

If you recall the baron de Cuberten, then the Olympics - this is the competition of athletes, not countries

“Those who agreed to go to the Olympics without a flag and anthem, let them not return from there better. These are traitors. " So says Umar Kremlin. President of the International Boxing Association (IBA). Which allows Russian boxers to speak under the Russian flag and positions itself as the main organization of world boxing. But since 2023, the IOC deprived her of recognition and all the competitions held by her are not much different from the notorious Games BRICS. But in the shelter echelons of the Kremlin - a well -known person. And in the suburbs, especially in Serpukhov, has a “special authority”.

But not only Umar Kremlin did not climb into his pocket for a word, stored for those Russian athletes who are still going to take part in the Olympics.

Irina Wiener, “Mother of Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics” and mentor Alina Kabaeva.

Irina Wiener

“In Paris, they said that the Russians should perform in the team of homeless people, this is now being done. A team of homeless people without a flag, anthem, fans will go to the Olympics. ”

Stanislav Pozdnyakov

President of the Olympic Committee of Russia

“I want to emphasize that I share and support the position of Irina Alexandrovna, our opinions are fully coincided here. The only thing I do not agree with the definition of the “team of homeless people” specifically in the case of tennis players who live abroad for most of the time, they earn in the same place, and say that they “play for themselves”, condemn the policy of their country and their own. So it’s more correct, from my point of view, a “team of foreign agents”. For which there will definitely not arise any obstacles to represent themselves at the Olympics. ”

Traitors, homeless people, foreign agents. This is said about our compatriots that have not been included in any shameful registers that did not sign any documents violating Russian laws (whatever they may) did not oppose their country in any form. Their only sin is that they, devoting all their lives to sports, the highest point of which are the Olympic Games, want to take part in them. This is their dream, this is their life, it is their profession.

In Paris, we will have the strangest team in history. Not even “with us” - because these athletes will not be a team as such. They really will have no flag or anthem, will not participate in opening and closing ceremonies, they will be forbidden to position themselves precisely as Russian athletes. They will speak on their own and for themselves. But if you recall the baron de Cuberten, who invented the modern Olympic Games, then the Olympics - this is the competition of athletes, not countries. And they do not officially lead any medal offices in games, although everyone considers unofficially medals, and even the IOC publishes these tables.

Russian (and Belarusian) athletes will be strangers among strangers. Because in their homeland they will be told that they are traitors and homeless people.

Because Ukrainians believe that no athletes from Russia should be in Paris in principle. Because the IOC, having determined the strict requirements for the neutral status of these participants, allocated them in a kind of reservation. By and large, no one is happy with them.

And in this situation it is easy to make a natural choice. And do not go anywhere. From childhood, Russian athletes are growing as part of the system. The state feeds them, sows, puts on, pays salaries. It thinks instead of them and makes decisions for them. It is necessary to have not only courage, but also simple human maturity, so that instead of the infantile fulfillment of other people's decisions, to do the way you think to do the right thing.

Neutral, but at the same time, the Russian delegation could still be much more. Despite all myths and intimidation, no real papers condemned him, Putin, the Russian army or something like that, the participants did not need to sign the participants. All that was needed from them is in no way to demonstrate their political position against the backdrop of the “conflict” of Russia and Ukraine in the past or present. How, in fact, most of us do. We are just silent ...

Compliance with these conditions opened the way to Paris for gymnasts, and for swimmers, and for wrestlers and judokas. At the same time, there was an important condition - not to have a formal connection with power structures - that is, CSKA and Dynamo, let their belonging to the security forces is very arbitrary. But formally, epaulets and titles are there - it means that the path is closed to the games. However, not everyone has epaulets and ranks. And the federations began to refuse to participate without exception and unanimously. Just as in 1984, all Soviet athletes unanimously did not want to go to Los Angeles, although in fact no one asked them and they had no choice then.

It is difficult to choose now. If you want to remain part of the system, save and provide for the national team, participate in internal competitions and receive prize.

But if the Soviet athletes actually did not even have a road to emigration, then Russian athletes have a choice (albeit very difficult). And it depends primarily on personal courage and personal pride. To do as you think it is necessary, and not the way you were ordered.

Are there many of them now? Plier Evgeny Somov. However, he lives abroad and he is probably easier. It is not directly related to our sports system. But he did not lose the connection with the country. And his loved ones live here, and here everything will be heard about him. Plovchikha Julia Efimova is also a citizen of the world for a long time, a real star. And thanks to its popularity, it earns enough so as not to be afraid of the loss of bets in some Russian region. However, Efimova could not pass the games for games already purely according to the sports principle, her best years have passed. And Evgenia Chikunova is a “relevant” superstar and a world record holder.

The level of its results is such that she just had to come and not to drown in the pool - the gold would not have had anywhere from her. But the 20-year-old girl says patriotic phrases, hoping in her soul that these games are not the last for her. Only who knows what it will be in four years. And most importantly, who will entrust that in four years the reasons why Russia was in the Ban will disappear?

The fighter Shamil Mamedov is ready to go to Paris. One of the entire wrestling team. The wrestling Federation is headed by Mikhail Mamiashvili - the legendary champion itself. In September, he said: “The Olympics is a key event in the athlete’s life. If he agrees to go there on the condition of the IOC, let him go. This is the choice of every person. ”

Then he said again: “If our“ partners ”categorically do not want us to do something and participate somewhere, is this not a sign that we need to do this? It is necessary to lie in bones, but it is there. ”

But as he now says - about Mamedov’s consent to the conditions of the IOC, after the rest of the fighters allegedly unanimously refused the trip:

“If this is finally confirmed, it turns out that the command of the team has no weight for it. As soon as he finally makes a decision, at the same moment he will become a neutral athlete, respectively, the flag in his hands, and the flag is clear there. ”

Not forgetting to add that all sorts of transgender and minorities will occupy the places of our athletes there. Well ... strong, imperious and proud Mamiashvili broke-what about the same 20-year-old Chikunov, who swims best in the world, but about this world he has a worse idea than most of her peers, living at endless fees and seeing nothing but training at a public expense? Although the canyist Olesya Romasenko went the same path. But she herself directly contacted the IOC and accepted the invitation to Paris.

In the history of the Olympics, there was already a striking example of participation contrary to. And it was ours, the Moscow Olympics. Which was boycotted by dozens of countries. But, despite the opinion of their governments, the British, Italians, Belgians, Dutch, Danes, French, and Portuguese came to Moscow under the Olympic flag. They showed that they remain athletes in any situation and have the right to their choice and to another point of view than their authorities. And when they returned home with medals, people still met them as national heroes.

I think that in the end, our athletes will meet normally. And the government of St. Petersburg so simply promised prizes to “neutral” athletes from the city on the Neva. Another thing is that our team is so small that any medal - all the more gold - will become a grandiose success. But first of all, the success of the athlete who will conquer her.

PS

Russian channels will not broadcast the Olympic Games. They refused to do this and film payments. For example, the press service of OKKO, which just showed Euro-24 matches, explained that it would not show games due to the removal of Russian athletes.