Currency
'Ours is not to blame': Russian Olympic champion outraged by Ukraine's claim in Kharlan scandal
Two-time Olympic champion Dmitry Vasiliev is outraged by the Ukrainian Fencing Federation's demand that German referee Dieter Lammer resign after he decided to disqualify Olga Kharlan from the World Championships under pressure from Russia. The representative of the aggressor country accused the UFF of inadequacy and provocation.
Vasiliev said this in a comment to the propaganda news agency R-Sport. The former biathlete attacked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its president Thomas Bach, noting that it was the official who spoke out against the Russians.
"The absurdity continues. They will use the least possible information to support this whole situation and try to hurt our athletes. Our guys are not guilty of anything, they are just athletes. But Mr Thomas Bach, I will not tire of reminding you of him, is the person who provoked the whole situation. If a fly flies in the wrong place, there will be a reason to disqualify Russian athletes. This absurdity is not worth paying attention to. When the situation in the world improves, so will sport," Vasiliev said.
It is worth noting that a video was posted online showing that Lammer decided to punish Olga Kharlan for refusing to shake hands with Russian Anna Smirnova at the World Championships after a conversation with an unknown person on the phone of the fencer's coach from Russia.
The sabre fencer from the aggressor country does not meet the neutral status required by the IOC. Because of this, Ukraine demanded that Smirnova be banned for life, which caused hysteria in Russia. The Russian Federation also reacted angrily to the decision of the Verkhovna Rada.
As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, the brother of fencer Anna Smirnova tried to distance himself from the crimes of the Russian army in Ukraine, calling himself an "ordinary conscript". In addition, Russian propagandists declared their country's fiasco in the scandal surrounding the fight between Smirnova and Kharlan at the World Championships.
Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram channel, Threads and Viber. Don't fall for fakes!