"We are not traitors": Russian gymnasts say they are "deliberately not participating in the Olympic selection"

The Russian national gymnastics team is allegedly boycotting two qualifying tournaments for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Representatives of the aggressor country opposed the conditions of admission to competitions under a neutral flag, calling it a betrayal of war criminals from the Russian Armed Forces.

This was stated by the team's head coach Valentyna Rodionenko in a commentary to the propaganda TV channel Match TV. The incense burner of Vladimir Putin's dictatorial regime, who fiercely supports the destruction of Ukraine, added that all her students allegedly supported the decision to boycott.

"We are deliberately not participating in the Olympics. We refuse to participate as neutral athletes. Our guys are sacrificing their lives in the war against Ukraine, and for the sake of the possibility of winning a medal, we agree to compete under such humiliating conditions? This is a real betrayal, we are not traitors. None of the gymnasts said that they would go to the Olympics under such conditions. There was no such intention. Everyone unanimously decided not to act as neutral athletes. We have complete clarity on this issue," Rodionenko said.

Earlier, she hysterically said that Russian gymnasts were "brought to their knees" and that is why they could not qualify for the 2024 Olympics. And the winner of the Tokyo Games, Nikita Nagorny, accused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of viol ating the rights of Russians.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matitsyn accused the world of hostility to Russian representatives and complained about the "time of difficulties." He also said that the IOC violates the right of Russians to support dictator Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.

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