TRONDHEIM. The IOC has opened to admit Russian skaters under a neutral flag, as long as they did not show their support for the regime.
Then Veronika Stepanova poses in front of a calendar with President Putin.
– It is quite beyond my… My view of humanity and what one should stand for, says Linn Svahn.
The Swedish skiers, the Swedish Skiing Federation and also the International Skiing Federation (Fis) have been hard in their line. As long as the invasion of Ukraine is ongoing, Russian and Belarusian athletes are not welcome to participate.
Now, however, the International Olympic Committee, the IOC, has softened and announced that they can already participate in this summer’s Olympics in Paris.
– I expect Fis to make a different decision than what the IOC has done, so we just have to wait and see. But it’s not a decision I can stand behind, says Linn Svahn.
fullscreenVladimir Putin and Veronika Stepanova. Photo: Vladimir Astapkovich / AP
“We will definitely win”
In order for them to be welcome to participate in the Olympics, the IOC believes that they must not have actively supported the war.
Then the Russian skater Veronika Stepanova, who was part of the relay team that won Olympic gold in Beijing, chooses to post a post in which she praises Jelena Välbe and Alexander Legkov as great leaders who were brought up under Putin’s regime.
The post ends with: “We are right, we are stronger and we will definitely win!”
In the picture, she poses in front of a picture of the Russian president.
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full screen nextLinn Svahn.
1 / 2Photo: JOHAN AXELSSON / BILDBYRÅN
Want to call them stupid things
This causes the Swedish riders to react strongly.
– It’s really crazy. It is quite unimaginable that they do that, says Edvin Anger and continues:
– When they still give themselves an opportunity to be allowed to come back and then they show support for the one who actually controls the war. Then it just shows me that they really shouldn’t be there.
He is supported by Jens Burman, who, however, adds that it is difficult to know what is behind the post.
– You kind of want to call them stupid things, but it could very well be that they have been forced to post it as well. But I think the whole thing is so stupid. I don’t think they should be allowed to compete either. It feels wrong.
2023-12-17 23:09:59
#Swedish #stars #rage #Russian #image #Inconceivable
