British Broadcasting CompanyI went down the river with an Olympic champion.
No, this isn’t the Seine. This isn’t Paris. This was evident as we drove previous the Kremlin.
Under decks, Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist Mariya Lasitskene is attending the launch of an uncommon challenge: an occasion that mixes athletics, vogue exhibits and music.
Maria didn’t defend her Olympic excessive soar title in Paris. The Russian crew was banned from these competitions as a result of struggle in Ukraine. The World Athletics ruling means monitor stars from Russia can not even compete as impartial athletes.
And, for Maria, it was painful.
“I am unable to even deliver myself to concentrate to those Olympic monitor and area occasions,” she advised me. “It is so painful. We must be there. The Olympics are a competition, the best occasion on the planet.
Russian media does not appear to assume so. From the start, newspapers right here have been pouring chilly water on the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets dubbed the Paris Olympics “Devil’s sport” after a gap ceremony that featured drag artists and what some thought-about a parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Final Supper.”
One other media outlet, “Argumenty i Fakty,” known as it the “Olympics of Hell.”
There was a sense that Russia would possibly win the gold medal… bitter grapes.
“I believe the Olympics are about sports activities. Not anymore,” Russian lawmaker Maria Butina advised me.
“It is about politics, faith, every little thing. It’s totally unhappy as a result of the unique thought of the Olympics was to create peace.
“However Russia has invaded Ukraine,” I identified. “This is not ‘peace,’ is it?”
“Russia has at all times protected its individuals,” Ms. Butina responded, echoing the official narrative that Russia’s struggle in Ukraine was totally in self-defense.
In actual fact, the Kremlin’s “particular navy operations” quantity to an invasion of a sovereign and impartial nation.
AFPIn Russia, there has at all times been nice curiosity within the Olympics.
However these Olympics weren’t even televised. This has not occurred for the reason that Soviet Union boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics 40 years in the past.
Russia has despatched a whole bunch of athletes to the Summer time Olympics. This time, solely 15 Russians competed in Paris as “impartial athletes” in sports activities equivalent to kayaking and tennis.
They weren’t allowed to show their nationwide crew, so there was no Russian flag, no nationwide anthem. Particular person athletes should undergo a vetting course of to find out they haven’t any ties to the Russian navy or safety companies and will not be actively supporting the struggle in Ukraine.
Sports activities bans are nothing new for Russia.
In 2019, the nation was banned from main worldwide sporting occasions over state-sponsored doping violations. The suspension was later lowered to 2 years. On the Tokyo Olympics, Russian athletes compete underneath the banner of the Russian Olympic Committee.
The sports activities competition I watched in a Moscow park had no censorship course of.
A Russian nationalist group organized a day of conventional Russian leisure.
It is a far cry from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
I noticed two males mendacity on the bottom participating in “stick wrestling,” pulling their opponent down with pressure.
What regarded extra like a gang brawl was raging on the soccer area, with groups carrying crimson and blue bibs engaged in a “wall-to-wall battle.”
There are issues right here which have completely nothing in widespread with sports activities. In a single nook, Russians, younger and outdated, have been invited to placed on navy uniforms and navy gear. They posed for images with weapons in hand.
I discovered little curiosity right here in what was happening in Paris.
“I have never paid consideration to the Olympics for a very long time,” all-around boxer Vadim advised me. “Not since Russia was excluded. Russia was canceled in all places.
Excessive jumper Mariya Lasitskene at the moment retains her busy with athletics, vogue exhibits and music actions. However Maria admits that the Olympics are “each skilled athlete’s dream”.
“Each athlete needs to compete with the most effective. You’ll be able to solely try this in worldwide competitions,” Maria advised me.
“Sports activities is a battle of the strongest. I do miss it.
