"Maybe it's time to stop hiding abroad?" Olympic champion hits out at 'some' Ukrainian athletes

Olympic gymnastics champion Oleh Verniaev posted an emotional Instagram post in memory of the athletes who died in Russia's full-scale attack. The 29-year-old native of Donetsk emphasised that during the year of war, more than 250 athletes and coaches will never be able to represent our country in international arenas again.

"They took up arms. To protect each of us. And the war took them away. Is this not enough to finally stop supporting the countries that ruthlessly unleashed this war?" - Verniaiev asked.

The gymnast also noted those of our compatriots who fled abroad after February 24 and are in no hurry to return.

"Maybe, finally, some Ukrainian athletes should stop hiding abroad, pretending that nothing is happening, and try to voice their position? Do you have one?" - the athlete added.

At the end of March, OBOZREVATEL wrote about three of our fallen heroes who had to change their sport for war.

On March 31, master of sports in sambo Oleh Grama died. He was among those who liberated Irpin and Bucha a year ago, and also stood guard at the Kyiv airport.

On March 30, a tennis player from Mykolaiv, who had gone to the front after surgery, was killed by mortar fire.

On March 29, an athlete from Zakarpattia, who was a member of his region's ski tourism team, was killed in the fighting for a key route in Luhansk Oblast.

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