"People laid down half their lives": ex-Spartak player complains that Russians are not loved anywhere

Former Spartak Moscow footballer Alexander Prudnikov complained about the allegedly unfair suspension of Russian athletes from international competitions. The former striker was outraged that the representatives of the aggressor country are "not loved anywhere."

Prudnikov said this in an interview with journalists, sports.ru reports. The 35-year-old native of Smolensk repeated the traditional narratives of Russian propaganda about the politicization of sports and also called the situation with athletes from the Russian Federation, who are allowed to participate in tournaments on a limited basis and in neutral status, a disaster.

"We are not loved anywhere. There are the Olympic Games... There is something every four years, and people spent half their lives preparing for it. They could have become champions, but they were just suspended. Suspension from international competitions is a disaster for our country. I want everything to return to normal. Sport has always been outside of politics, but unfortunately, these principles have long been forgotten," Prudnikov said, without even trying to find the reasons for this situation.

It is worth noting that in September 2023, Prudnikov expressed confidence that "UEFA will soon want us to play." Recently, the Turkish national football team refused to play a friendly match with the Russians, citing a busy calendar.

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