Russians return home from Pyeongchang: “Nothing can break our country”

Moscow (SID) Russia has given its "Olympic athletes" an overwhelming and triumphant welcome as they return home from the Winter Games in Pyeongchang. When the 168 "OAR" athletes got off their plane at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on Monday, a huge crowd enthusiastically cheered the athletes, who had started under a neutral flag in South Korea because of the state doping scandal, with bouquets of flowers in the national colors and Russian national flags in their hands to. Thousands of sports fans particularly celebrated the men's ice hockey team and the 15-year-old figure skater Alina Zagitova, who had secured the only two Olympic victories for Russian athletes in South Korea. However, representatives of President Vladimir Putin's Russian government did not come to the airport to greet the OAR delegation, which won a total of 13 medals in Pyeongchang. "Many had doubts about taking part in the games. But I am convinced that since Sunday no one can doubt that it is good that Russia and no one else won the gold medal in ice hockey. Our athletes fought with their hearts," said President Alexander Zhukov of Russia's still suspended Olympic Committee in a reference to the "Sbornaja" for the 4-3 win in the Olympic final after extra time against the German national team. In the euphoric atmosphere at the airport, Sergei Andronov couldn't resist taking a swipe at the Russian skid cracks against the sanctions against Russia because of the state doping scandal. "All this has only made us stronger. We have proven that nothing can break our country." Contrary to what had been hoped in Moscow, the OAR delegation was not able to take part in the closing ceremony of Pyeongchang again under Russia's national flag last Sunday. The reason was the exclusion from Russia's Olympic Committee, which was initially maintained until all doping controls were analyzed. Despite the sanctions, the OAR ice hockey players sang the Russian national anthem on the ice at the award ceremony with the Olympic anthem, thereby causing a discordant sporting political tone.

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

Russians return home from Pyeongchang: “Nothing can break our country”

Suggestions

Comments (0)