Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko has called international competitions without Russian athletes incomplete. The member of the Council of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation recalled the "stunning success" of the 2014 Olympics, which was marked by the disclosure of the Russian state doping system.

Chernyshenko said this in a commentary to the propaganda TV channel Match TV. The ardent fan of dictator Vladimir Putin added that it was Russia that allegedly created the sports industry, and the international community tried to exclude Russia from the process to its detriment.

"The quality of the product is in the hands of those who create the industry. In 2022, there was an attempt to cancel Russia as a sports power. Even to its own detriment, because everyone understands that world sport without Russia is becoming unprofitable. Our sport was one of the first to face pressure. You remember, after our stunning success in 2014 and the start of a series of unfair attacks," Chernyshenko said.

Earlier, the president of the Russian Wrestling Federation, Mikhail Mamiashvili, called Russia "the freest country" and called the condemnation of the war an imposition on the "vast majority".

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, four-time Olympic biathlon champion Alexander Tikhonov believes that it is necessary to inflict physical damage on Europe and other NATO countries because of the conditions for Russia's admission to the Paris Olympics.

Only verified information is available in our Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!