Guberniev challenges Russia’s best athlete poll as Kostomarov and Ovechkin top results
A prominent Russian sports commentator voiced strong disagreement on Telegram about the VTsIOM poll that named Russia’s best athlete for 2024. He argued that awarding the title to Roman Kostomarov, noted as the 2006 Olympic champion, alongside hockey star Alexander Ovechkin, misrepresents the national sporting landscape and the standards by which achievement is measured. The remarks appeared amid a broader conversation about how fans, media, and institutions recognize athletic excellence and shape public perception across the country.
According to his post, the selection of the 2006 Olympic champion was questionable even as the commentator acknowledged Kostomarov’s courage and perseverance. He suggested that while Kostomarov’s story resonates with many, the award should reflect sustained excellence across a season rather than a single standout moment. He also pointed to Ovechkin’s long and well-documented career as a reason for his high standing in the poll. This critique reflected a larger debate about how national awards capture the true breadth of athletic achievement in Russia.
In the same message, the commentator wrote that the results reveal a broader issue in how sports are valued within the country. The statement praised Ovechkin as a foundational figure while questioning Kostomarov’s designation as Athlete of the Year, emphasizing courage and overcoming adversity but arguing that those qualities alone do not necessarily define the year’s top athlete. The post underscored the tension between individual narratives and the broader calendar of sport across disciplines.
The poll results painted a telling picture. A large share of respondents, seventy-seven percent, admitted they could not name the best athlete in the poll. Eight percent believed there was no single athlete meeting that title in Russia. Among those who offered opinions, Kostomarov and Ovechkin each collected around three percentage points, while other athletes struggled to reach one percent. The figures highlighted how memory, visibility, and momentary momentum can shape public opinion in such national discussions.
Earlier, at the start of January 2023, Kostomarov faced a difficult medical crisis after performing at an outdoor New Year show. Reports described him as being hospitalized with pneumonia and placed in intensive care on a ventilator, with his condition described as extremely serious. This episode underscored the fragility of an athlete’s career and the way personal health events can influence public narratives about greatness.
There were also reports of a fire incident involving the athlete, with claims that a collection of his five-time Olympic medals was damaged by flames. Such incidents tend to intensify attention around a figure who already carries a heavy symbolic load for fans and observers and can fuel debates about legacy and remembrance in sports communities.
Observers outside Russia might view these discussions through a different lens, noting how national narratives and media conversations shape what counts as excellence. The exchange illustrates how online discourse in Russia engages with fans over the meaning of greatness, while international audiences watch the dynamics that drive awards and recognition in a country with a deep and varied sports culture.
Ultimately, the polemics around this poll remind readers that popularity, timing, and media exposure can influence judgments about the year’s standout athlete. They also highlight how the careers of celebrated figures interplay with public memory, national pride, and the ongoing conversation about what the term Athlete of the Year truly represents across different sports and generations.