Two-time Olympic champion Lidia Ivanova threw a real tantrum over the arrest of hockey player Maxim Sergeev in Poland. The former gymnast complained about Russophobia and accused the United States of involvement in the detention of the representative of the aggressor country.

Ivanova said this in a commentary to the propaganda TV channel Match TV. The winner of the Melbourne '56 and Rome '60 Games added that Sergeev is only 20 years old, and no one of that age would be engaged in espionage, which is what the Poles accuse the native of Reutov of doing.

"There is definitely Russophobia in Poland. They don't know what to come up with anymore, but what is the US doing? They are giving them tips! For some reason, they don't touch Ovechkin! And Maxim is just a boy! Why are they so brave, the Americans? Why don't they attack Ovechkin? They won't touch a strong athlete, but they will test all this on such athletes. My advice to our athletes abroad: you were strong and you will be strong! And don't open your mouths," Ivanova said.

As a reminder, Sergeev is the 14th Russian detained by Ukraine's allies and accused of participating in an organised criminal group and working for foreign intelligence.

Earlier, four-time Olympic biathlete Alexander Tikhonov hysterically accused dictator Vladimir Putin of "mocking Russia with the whole planet".

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, two-time Olympic champion Svetlana Zhurova called the arrest of a Russian hockey player in Poland for espionage "an attempt to demonise the image of an athlete" from Russia.

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