Ukrainian wrestler boycotts Russian at World Cup: Russian Federation responds with insults

Ukrainian wrestler Vasyl Mykhailov refused to take a joint photo with Russian Akhmed Usmanov at the World Championships, which are currently taking place in Belgrade, Serbia. Our compatriot won a bronze medal in the 79 kg category, while the representative of the aggressor country won gold.

During the award ceremony, Mikhailov did not take part in the photo session of all the winners. The vice-champion Vladimir Gamkrelidze from Georgia and another bronze medal winner, Iranian Mohammad Nohodilarimi, agreed to pose on the podium with Usmanov.

Mikhailov's action provoked anger among Russians. The president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), Stanislav Pozdnyakov, found nothing better than to insult the Ukrainian.

"This happened at the Tokyo Olympics, when a Ukrainian athlete was forced to condemn her photo with a Russian woman. Since then, the schizophrenia has continued," the Russian told propagandists from the Match TV channel, pretending not to understand the reasons for such a dismissive attitude toward his country on the part of our compatriots.

Earlier, the President of the Russian Wrestling Federation (FSBI) Mikhail Mamiashvili called the refusal of Ukrainian Valentin Blesetsky to shake hands with Russian representative Abasgadzhi Magomedov at the 2023 World Cup "complete savagery".

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, the International Wrestling Federation (UWW) has amended the rules for the 2023 World Cup due to the war in Ukraine.

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