American figure skater Ashley Wagner spoke about the exclusion of Russian athletes from international competitions.
Another American figure skater, Adam Rippon declarationRussian athletes complain that the suspension is an unfair decision. According to her, Tatyana Tarasova and Alexander Zhulin repeat that they are disappointed and worried about the ban on Russian skaters.
“It seems to me that this perfectly illustrates how this story is perceived and treated differently in the world and in Russia.
After all, all these speakers sincerely believe that they have been treated unfairly and that the whole world is waiting for the opportunity to get rid of Russian athletes.
This is a very difficult situation, it has many different aspects. And we want to emphasize that we are not talking about individual athletes, but a system that violates the ethical system and spirit of our sport.
But worst of all, it also uses these particular athletes—taking their health in exchange for short-term success,” the skater told The Runthrough podcast.
Recall that at the end of February 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made a call to international sports federations and recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes not be allowed to participate in any competitions.
At a meeting of the IOC executive committee on March 28, it was recommended to allow the Russians to have a neutral status, if the athletes were not actively engaged in supporting hostilities. Athletes representing law enforcement and armed forces will not be allowed to compete.