Governor Yevgeny Kuyvashev responded to the decision of the International Olympic Committee not to allow biathlete Anton Shipulin before the Olympics in Pyeongchang by fasting in Instagram. The head of the region called this "absurdity and mockery of a talented athlete, over sport as such".
"Anton never figured in the investigation of doping, he was not accused of anything like that, he does not accept banned drugs and always advocated clean sport. I have known Anton personally for many years, he devoted his entire life to training and is the No. 1 candidate for Olympic gold. I think that's why they do not want to see him at the Games, "Kuyvashev wrote.
He also said that without the participation of strong athletes it would be "not Games, but merrymaking", and people who make such decisions "try to hurt the Russian leadership, but in fact they disappoint all Russians, millions of fans".
"We have already agreed to participate under a neutral flag, but this seemed small, we came up with a reason for a new humiliation ... Once for the sake of the Olympic Games wars were stopped, and now the intriguers deliberately turn the Olympics into a field of conflicts. It is unacceptable. This is low, "Kuyvashev writes.
IOC did not include biathlete Anton Shipulin in the list of athletes who are expected at the Olympics. I believe that this is absurd and mockery of a talented athlete, of sports as such. Anton never figured in the investigation of doping, he was not accused of anything like that, he does not accept illegal drugs and always advocated clean sports. I have known Anton personally for many years, he devoted his entire life to training and is the No. 1 candidate for Olympic gold. I think that's why they do not want to see him at the Games. But in this form, without the strongest athletes, these are not games, but games. People who are behind such decisions are trying to hurt the Russian leadership, but in fact they disappoint all Russians, millions of fans. We have already agreed to participate under a neutral flag, but this seemed small, we came up with an occasion for a new humiliation ... Once for the sake of the Olympic Games wars were stopped, and now the intriguers deliberately turn the Olympics into a field of conflicts. It is unacceptable. It's low. I hope that the IOC recognizes the mistake and will still include Shipulin in the list of participants. Anton, Sverdlovsk region, the whole of Russia is with you.
Publication by Evgeny Kuyvashev (@evgenykuyvashev) Jan 23, 2018 at 2:
24 PST Recall, the list of Russian athletes admitted to participate in the 2018 Olympic Games under the neutral flag was published by the IOC today. In addition to Shipulin, he did not have the leader of the Russian cross-country skiing team Sergei Ustyugov, who was also not involved in the doping scandal.
Earlier, Governor Yevgeny Kuyvashev promised that athletes who win medals under a neutral flag will receive payments from the Fund for Higher Sports Achievements.