Ukrainian rower Anastasia Rybachok was forced to cover up part of the phrase “I am Ukrainian” at the Paris Olympics.
This was reported by the publication “Obshchestvennoye Sport” with reference to the head coach of the Ukrainian national team Igor Nagayev.
It is noted that Rybachok is represented at this year’s Olympic Games in two boats:
- canoe double, in which she, together with Lyudmila Luzan, automatically advanced to the semi-finals of the competition based on the results of the qualification;
- single canoe.
For the singles performances, Rybachok arrived with her boat, on which was placed the inscription “I am Ukrainian”. Rybachok, in particular, trained in it before the Olympics on the canal near Obukhov.
However, the inscription on the canoe underwent forced changes, however, before the start of the Olympics – its rowing part had to be covered up. According to Nagaev, the reason for this was the position of the International Canoe Federation – the organizers of the competitions stated that the inscription I am Ukrainian is political advertising.
But this is absurd, in our opinion. However, rules are rules. We sealed the side of the boat with a sticker and put a strap, which turns out to be simply “Ukraine”, – he noted.
Nagayev noted that this is not the first time that the International Canoe Federation has forced slogans to be covered up on boats. However, there were no such demands from governing bodies in the first year of the full-scale Russian invasion.
This year (it manifests itself – ed.) very specifically: if we write some slogan on a boat, they make us cover it up. This surprises and irritates us very much, – he noted.
Even our inscription “Glory to Ukraine – Glory to the Heroes”, which we pasted on some boats at international competitions, the organizers forced us to cover up. This is their rule. For us it is normal, we live with it, but for Europeans, I don’t know, it is something political, Nagayev added.
Rybachok is a silver medalist of the 2020 Olympic Games in canoe double (together with Luzan). The single sculls will be contested due to Ukraine winning a quota in canoe double (each athlete from the crew can take part in the single sculls).
Rybachok and Luzan will compete in the canoe single qualification tomorrow, August 8.
Source: “Public Sport”
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.