Alexander Tikhonov, a four-time Olympic biathlon champion, spoke in an interview with Match TV about the expectations placed on Russian citizens in 2024. He emphasized a focus on national self-reliance, asserting that the country should not imitate others and highlighting the wealth of Russian expertise in science, medicine, and sport. He asked a simple question: who should Russians imitate after each victory if not themselves? This question underlines a philosophy of building on internal strengths rather than chasing external models. The message was clear: pride in national achievements should come from within, not from copying patterns observed abroad. (Match TV interview)
According to Tikhonov, it is appropriate for Russians to extend respect to the president, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and he expressed a wish for the leader to be in good health and to make decisive, bold choices for the country’s future. The tone of his remarks combines personal respect for the office with a broader call for confidence in leadership during a period of significant domestic and international development. (Match TV interview)
In discussing international sport, Tikhonov touched on the programming decisions of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) in 2022. The IBU announced that Belarusian and Russian biathletes could participate in World Cup events and IBU competitions only as neutral athletes. The response from Russian athletes at the time included opting to skip the end of the 2021/22 season in protest or due to the restrictions in place. Later in September 2022, the IBU extended the suspension indefinitely, maintaining the status of athletes from those nations as neutral participants. This sequence underscored the increasingly complex landscape for athletes competing under national banners amid evolving governance rules in international sport. (IBU announcements and coverage)
Beyond the organizational shifts, it was reported that Tikhonov had previously been described as an Olympic champion, and there were media accounts noting his involvement with authorities following reports of an armed incident at a hotel. This aspect of the coverage illustrates how high-profile sports figures can become entwined in broader security and public safety discussions during intense periods of political and social tension. (News reports and police statements)