"They are not about Russians and Belarusians": Maguchikh speaks out on boycott of 2024 Olympics

Famous Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Maguchikh has spoken out against our country's boycott of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris if representatives of Russia and Belarus are allowed to participate. The 21-year-old athlete called on sports officials to do everything possible to prevent the aggressors from competing at the main events of the quadrennial.

Maguchikh said this in an interview with the 1+1 TV channel website. The bronze medallist of the Tokyo 2020 Games stressed that Russians and Belarusians have no right to compete at the Olympics, as many athletes from these countries support the war against Ukraine and are in the army.

"The whole world watches the Olympic Games. Even those who are not interested in sports. Once every four years, they really switch on the TV and watch the competitions. This is a great platform to once again make Ukraine known to the whole world. That is why we must make every effort to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from entering. It is unacceptable to compete with terrorists in the international arena. The Olympic Games are about people who value the lives of others. Accordingly, they are not about Russians and Belarusians who disregard the lives of Ukrainians and continue to commit genocide against our people," Maguchikh said.

On 25 June, Maguchikh, who holds the unofficial title of Ukraine's most beautiful athlete, won gold at the 2023 European Games in Krakow. Earlier, she had spoken harshly of her Russian rival Maria Lasitskene for her silence about the war. Later, the Russian representative tearfully announced the end of her international career.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, another Ukrainian athlete won a gold medal at the European Games 2023. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk became the best in the triple jump.

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