– I still know where I’m from. It doesn’t change where I was born. I represent the family name and my name, says Diana Shnaider to news. She is among the 15 Russian athletes who are allowed to participate in the Olympics. In a completely neutral white suit, she has just played her opening match in the tennis tournament. We have spoken to four of the 15 Russian athletes in the Olympics. Received warning after “political question about flag” The rules for the athletes are extensive. They cannot have supported the war, have no links to the military or military sports clubs. When the IOC first decided that Russian athletes would be allowed to participate in the Olympics, they expected that 36 athletes would be allowed to participate. It was also the number that were eventually invited to the games, but only 15 of them have accepted. RUSSIAN FLAG: A supporter brought a Russian flag into the stands during the Olympic tennis tournament. Photo: Halvor Ekeland / news No Russian flags are permitted at the Olympics, neither on the pitch nor in the stands. But when two Russian AIN athletes played on Sunday morning, one of the players had still brought a Russian flag with them. He shouted and cheered on the Russian athletes, but the flag was never taken from him. – What can we do? We can’t jump up on the stands to take away the flag. I don’t know who that guy is. Someone may not know the rules and what they have to do. But this is not something we and the trainers can do anything about, says Shnaider. Afterwards, news was told to “ask political questions about the flag” by those responsible in the press zone. Getting questions in the Olympic village For the tennis players, the difference is not that great from how it usually is. They rarely represent their country in the competition. – On the tennis tour, you always represent yourself. I play for myself. We’ve been playing like that for two and a half years. For us it is not so much new, we are used to it. I haven’t really thought about it. Every time I go on the court, I represent myself, says Jekaterina Aleksandrova, who crashed out of the singles tournament with a loss in the first round, to news. OUT: Jekaterina Aleksandrova out in the first round of the singles tournament. She did the same in doubles. Photo: Reuters But things are different in the Olympic village, says countrywoman Shnaider. – I feel it is much the same on the pitch. But everyone looks at us in the Olympic village because we don’t have a name on our clothes. So everyone asks where I’m from. But that’s okay, everyone is very friendly. I have no problem with that, she says. In the swimming hall, there is only one Russian neutral athlete: Evgenii Somov. He has bid in the USA since 2017. In swimming, one represents the club team with the exception of the EC, WC and Olympics. But there are, in return, many of those championships. – I would have liked to have my teammates here. That’s for sure. But in this situation, what can I do? asks Somov rhetorically to news. DEBUT: Evgenii Somov makes his debut in a major international championship in Paris. In the past, he has only participated in junior championships, but now he got the opportunity in the Olympics. Photo: AFP He has both the American coach and some friends from the university with him to Paris. – I don’t think much about it (being a neutral athlete). If that’s what it took to get to the Olympics, then that’s what I had to do, says Somov. PRO: Tamara Dronova turned pro in 2021. She won two medals in the Russian cycling championship in June. Photo: Reuters Cyclist Tamara Dronova just shrugs off news’s question. – There is nothing special about being an individual athlete. I mostly keep to myself. It’s going perfectly well, we mostly ride for our professional teams. Will not be shown on Russian TV In the run-up to the Olympics, there were major discussions in Russia about participating as neutral athletes. In both wrestling and judo, all the athletes refused to participate, simply because they thought the regulations were too strict. Inna Sangadzhieva of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee says that Russian media barely follow the Russian athletes in the Olympics, but that the opening ceremony has been fiercely criticized. EXPERT: Inna Sangadzhieva is head of department for Europe and Central Asia and one of the Helsingfors Committee’s foremost experts on Russia. Photo: The Norwegian Helsinki Committee – It was too much “dirty entertainment” for the Russian authorities. There was also criticism of France in and of itself. It was traditional black measurement of the entire event, says Sangadzhieva. According to the independent Novaya Gazeta, former president Dmitry Medvedev is said to have referred to the opening ceremony as “a disgusting sight” and to have asked the Russians to stop watching. According to Sangadzhieva, it is the first time in 40 years that Russian media are not televising the Olympics. – Russian media referred to the games as treason if one participated. It was before the Olympics, she says and adds: – What they have prioritized is painting the West black. Especially in connection with the opening of the Olympics. Russian TV does not show the Olympics in Russia, but people watch it via VPN and YouTube. Russian authorities today reduced the speed of YouTube, among other things because of the Olympics. But also to limit independent media, says Sangadzhieva. Published 08/08/2024, at 05.29
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This is what the Olympic weekday looks like for the neutral Russian participants – Olympic Paris 2024
