New row over Winter Olympics follows numerous divisive incidents
The order announced by Ukrainian Sports Minister Vadim Gutzeit to the country’s sports stars not to be photographed with Russian rivals at the Beijing Winter Olympics is just the latest in a series of incidents curious involving athletes from both countries.
Gutzeit’s apparent insistence follows a series of controversies and arguments, ranging from oblivious to open provocation.
Here are some themes.
Russian and Ukrainian sportsmen have been warned against fraternization
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Russian officials react to Ukrainian Olympic warning of ‘provocation’
Perhaps the most enraged political response to stars from both countries posing together came at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, when Ukraine’s defense minister issued a stern rebuke – controversially referring to a “Russian-Ukrainian War” – by summoning bronze high jump winner Yaroslava Mahuchikh to explain herself after she was photographed kissing Russian champion and fellow army athlete Maria Lasitskene.
Some fans also reacted with outrage and called the pair traitors, but several athletes and politicians publicly pushed back against those accusations and backed the mutually-admiring medalists, who were pictured together again after the Olympics.
The response prompted Ukrainian Paralympian Ihor Tsvietov to refuse to join his Russian sprint rivals on the medal podium, having been photographed alongside them in an earlier event.
Premier League champion Oleksandr Zinchenko has been warned he is failing to “defending honor” of Ukraine posing with Russian UFC great Khabib Nurmagomedov during a match in England.
“I wish you good luck in everything,” undeterred, Nurmagomedov wrote in the caption of another portrait of the couple together. “Even if someone doesn’t like it. »
Football teams have been separated
The most notable example of Ukrainian and Russian teams splitting up is in football, with Europe’s administrative body UEFA issuing an emergency ruling in 2014 that the countries would not be allowed to play each other.
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‘There’s always politics’: Ukrainian volleyball star ponders ‘$375,000 bonus offered to players to beat Russia’ in European finals
Russia and Ukraine have only faced each other once before, when they met in two EURO 2000 qualifying matches.
The nations could have collided in the knockout stage of EURO 2020, when the Russian government said there would be no untoward tensions if the game were to go ahead.
More recently, a ‘forbidden team clash’ rule meant that Russia and Ukraine could not have been brought together in the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers draw.
There have been political gestures in sport involving Russia and Ukraine
Russia and Ukraine’s participation in EURO 2020 was preceded by a dispute over a shirt unveiled by Ukraine just days before the start of the tournament in June 2021.
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“How can you stand their anthem? Ukrainian saber fencing queen who joined Russians on podium avoids political row over Olympics
Then-coach Andriy Shevchenko and national football bosses proudly paraded the shirt, which included a map of Crimea and the nationalist slogans “Glory to Ukraine” and “Glory to the heroes”.
UEFA has called on Ukraine to cover up this latest slogan, which is associated with World War II Nazi sympathizers, saying it was “clearly political in nature” – and politicians have accused the design of disrespecting the dead.
The Ukrainian Premier League have reportedly ordered clubs to wear a badge bearing the slogans on their kits ahead of the 2021/22 season. This led a Jewish leader to reiterate the alleged links to World War II.
Russian and Ukrainian stars suffered consequences
There are plenty of examples of footballers from both nations playing in each country – Zinchenko, who moved from Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk to Russian Premier League side Ufa as a prospect, among them – and some flashpoints along the way. .
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Ukrainian national football hero Dovbyk dubbed ‘Muscovite’ by nationalist author after answering interview question in Russian
Long-serving Ukrainian defender Yaroslav Rakitskiy has been criticized and left out of the national team after signing for current Russian champions Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2019, and Ukraine have insisted the decision n It was not political when several internationals playing in Russia were left behind. team in 2016.
In December 2021, Ukrainian Premier League side NK Veres Rivne were punished by domestic football bosses after their players allegedly held talks in Russian following a recent game, prompting the club to offer to organize Ukrainian lessons for all players who felt they spoke the language. a ” insufficient “ level.
World boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk said this week he missed out on millions of dollars in endorsement deals due to accusations the Crimean-born fighter refused to convict Russia after the peninsula voted to an overwhelming majority to be part of the country in a referendum in 2014.
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