'I just get so angry' - Beijing 2022 gold medallist Alexander Bolshunov slammed for attending Putin rally
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Published 22/03/2022 at 16:50 GMT
"When I see things like that, I just get so angry that it's hard to think of seeing them again." Norwegian cross-country athlete Chris Jespersen was among the athletes to hit out at Alexander Bolshunov and other Russian sports stars for attending a controversial rally in Moscow in which president Vladimir Putin praised the recent invasion of Ukraine.
Gold medallist Alexander Bolshunov of Team ROC
Image credit: Getty Images
Russian cross-country skiing star Alexander Bolshunov is facing heavy criticism following his appearance at a controversial rally in Moscow.
The event on March 18, was held at the Luzhniki Stadium to mark the eighth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and featured president Vladimir Putin praising the recent invasion of Ukraine.
Bolshunov, who won five medals at Beijing 2022 including three golds, was pictured at the rally alongside fellow sports stars, understood to include - as reported by Inside the Games - figure skaters Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov..
Some of the athletes pictured displayed the controversial ‘Z’ symbol, which is considered to be linked to the Russian military involved in the offensive, however, Bolshunov was reportedly not among those.
Despite this, the 25-year-old has been slammed for attending the rally by several fellow competitors.
Norwegian cross-country athlete Chris Jespersen described the event as ‘sick’ and applauded the decision to ban Russian athletes from competing as a result of the ongoing invasion.
“It's pretty sick what's going on,” Jespersen told the publication VG. “I was cursed when I saw it.
“It shows that it is good that they were not allowed to go the rest of the season. It is provocative to see."
Swedish Biathlon star Sebastian Samuelsson was equally scathing, telling Aftonbladet:
“You wonder if they are forced to do it or if they are as stupid as they look. It's sickly strange actually”.
Another cross-country star Tord Asle Gjerdalen took a slightly more sympathetic view of Bolshunov's involvement, pondering how much freedom he or other athletes had to argue against taking part.
“I do not know to what extent Bolshunov could have distanced himself from it," the Norwegian also told VG. “I think they are being severely punished, so it's pretty easy for us to sit here and judge him.
“You can imagine how tough you would have to be to risk prison, and probably far worse things when you have such a high profile like Bolshunov.
“I do not want to shed any judging light there.”
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