The leader of the Ukrainian national swimming team, Andrei Govorov, a 23-year-old native of Sevastopol, complained about the attitude of Russian athletes he encountered at the World Cup in Moscow.
Govorov spoke about this in an interview with the Ukrainian newspaper Fakty.
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“During all this time, the war unleashed against Ukraine by an unfriendly country, I spoke in Moscow for the first time. Athletes, of course, communicate normally with each other. But the audience, to put it mildly, is not very good. To be honest, almost my only fans in the Olimpiysky arena were my family. Mom, sister and husband came specially from Sevastopol. I was born in Crimea. My parents are now trying to move to Dnepropetrovsk. But such a difficult situation on the occupied peninsula, so many obstacles are being created... None of our family has renounced Ukrainian citizenship and is not going to do so. Mom just can’t sell her apartment in Sevastopol or complete the necessary documents. Besides, my stepsister goes to school there. It’s good that at least my younger brother managed to move to Dnepropetrovsk, where he is studying at school.
I did not experience any overt aggression in Moscow. However, tension and pressure were felt. Many Russian athletes, knowing that I was from Crimea, allowed themselves inappropriate jokes and barbs. But I didn’t react to this. By the way, when presenting a passport and filling out protocols in Moscow, they constantly asked why I didn’t change my passport. “I have such a political position,” he answered. - Why should I follow any other beliefs? I have my own convictions, and Crimea is Ukraine.” I wore my Ukrainian sports uniform everywhere, and I wasn’t even afraid to go out for a walk in the city in it. No one attacked me with their fists, but I often caught disapproving glances at myself,” Govorov said.
According to him, he experienced a similar attitude 2 weeks ago in Kazan.
“When I started, the support from the audience was even less than for the Americans, whom the Russians also don’t like. I felt psychological discomfort, but I’m a professional and I compete to improve my results, for my country, for Ukrainian fans,” the swimmer noted.