"Did we find ourselves in a dumpster or what?" Russian figure skating called "neutral athletes" homeless

Russian figure skating choreographer Alexey Zheleznyakov has called Russian athletes who agree to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics in a "neutral status" homeless. The representative of the aggressor country, in a patriotic frenzy, called on athletes not to accept "handouts" from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Zheleznyakov said this in an interview with the Metaratings portal. The former employee of coach Eteri Tutberidze's team spoke about the alleged greatness of Russia and added that the participation of Russian athletes in international competitions without a flag and anthem is a real humiliation.

"I'm not wearing rose-colored glasses about this. We don't need any handouts, we found ourselves in a dumpster, or what? To perform without the anthem and the flag is just humiliation. If you were brought up in Russia and your parents and coaches were constantly investing in you, and you go to play under a neutral flag... I wouldn't do that. The association is like that - a sports bum," Zheleznyakov said.

Earlier, athlete Ulyana Batashova was dismissed from the Russian national team and deprived of financial support after she received the so-called neutral status to participate in the 2024 Olympics.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, the head of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation (VFGG) Irina Viner compared neutral athletes at the 2024 Olympics to a "team of homeless people." And the president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), Stanislav Pozdnyakov, called the Russian tennis players at the Olympics a "team of foreign agents."

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