Russian swimmer Evgeny Somov, who is competing in the 2024 Olympics with a neutral status, responded to criticism from the organizers of the Seine triathlon competition at the Paris Olympic Games. The athlete’s words were reported by Match TV.
“If I had come here to do a triathlon or swim in the open sea, I would have swam, but now I am happy to swim in the pool,” Somov said.
The Russian athlete finished 13th in the 100-meter breaststroke at the Olympic Games. He failed to advance to the semifinals in the 50-meter freestyle.
The Olympic Games began on July 26, with competitions running through August 11. The opening ceremony took place on the Seine River. Russian athletes, who compete in the Summer Olympics as neutrals, did not attend the ceremony.
Following the start of Russia’s SVO in Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended Russian and Belarusian athletes and recommended that Federations not allow athletes from these countries to participate in international competitions. In December 2023, the IOC allowed athletes from Russia to participate in the 2024 Olympics, but only with neutral status and subject to a number of necessary conditions.
The Russian, who previously played for France to win silver OI.