Vladimir Putin. Photo of the Kremlin press service Russia will do everything to defend the honor and dignity of athletes, who were unfairly removed from participation in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. This was stated by President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with members of the Olympic team, the Kremlin press service reports . “Now many athletes and coaches, representatives of, say, athletics and a number of other sports, of course, are bitter and hard, we are well aware of this.