They want to leave the dancing couple without the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Gediminas, received in 2000, and Drobyazko is even offered to be deprived of Lithuanian citizenship.
“I am ready to participate in the discussion of this issue and support this proposal,” said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius.
This proposal caused heated debate in Russia. Tatyana Navka was indignant at such a formulation of the question.
“This is absolutely disgusting, showing once again the manifestation of blind hatred towards our country. Great athletes with their art, creativity, talent give great joy, incredible emotions, make the world cleaner, because art is the medicine of souls.
Those who want to deprive those who defend the honor of their country in international competitions, Olympics, awards and citizenships despise me.
I’m not talking about those who really love their athletes, their heroes, I’m talking about the people who are in power there. It is not for them to make such decisions,” RBC Sport reports on the words of Navka.
Honored Coach of the USSR Tatyana Tarasova expressed the opinion that athletes will be accepted in Russia.
“Absolutely disgusting decision, a real genocide. I think we’ll take them to Russia.
All their lives they loved their country so much that they did not go to play for Russia. And so we lost a lot. I don’t understand how in our time, in 2022, such decisions can be made and someone else can support them.
People proved their love and devotion with their work, their attitude towards the homeland. They have been talked about a thousand times about their transition to Russia, about playing for the team, but they have always remained loyal to their country, ”says Tarasova.
Tarasova noted that excellent coaches will emerge from Drobyazko and Vanagas, but the Lithuanian spectators, who love them so much, are proud of them, they will be deprived of the opportunity to watch them.
Two-time Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko also believes that Russia will help Drobyazko if Lithuania imposes sanctions on him.
“They want to strip Drobyazko of citizenship? What are you?! What horror! What’s going on in general? I think this is so ugly. So what do athletes have to do with it? Especially since it’s a commercial show. Some people go crazy.
Will Russia help Margarita if she is deprived of her citizenship? I think it will help. Russia helps everyone. This is the kindest and most reliable country. And our president is the best. Therefore, of course, Russia will help. Then the decision is up to Margarita, ”Plushenko told Match TV.
Drobyazko was born in 1971 in Moscow. After the collapse of the USSR, he decided to do ice dancing under the Lithuanian flag paired with Vanagos. Athletes are two-time bronze medalists of the European Championships (2000, 2006) and bronze medalists of the 2000 World Championships. Also in 2000, they won one round of the Skate Canada Grand Prix series.
In 2006, the couple left the big sport, focusing on performances on the show. In Russia, they are best known for their performances in Ilya Averbukh’s productions of City Lights and The Secret of the Treasure Island.
This is not the first scandal about the performances of foreign figure skaters at Russian shows. Earlier, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky deprived Ukrainian skater Viktor Petrenko of a state scholarship. Zelensky sanctioned Petrenko for performing in Tatyana Navka’s show “Red Flower” in Sochi.
Source: Gazeta
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