Quotes and Views

So where do we stand today, after Tuesday’s IOC announcement that Russian athletes can compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics only under the neutral flag?  On Wednesday, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin rejected the idea of a Russian boycott of the Games, although a final decision will be made by the athletes on December 12th.  In the meantime, we still await comment from the IIHF on the matter (beyond the quote included below), and we also do not yet have any official statement from the Russian Hockey Federation.  Nor do we know for sure what the KHL’s next move will be.

However, a number of people associated with Russian hockey have spoken up, and I have selected a few of the more representative and interesting quotes (I will probably add more as they come along).  Read on (and tomorrow, barring any thunderous news, we go back to talking about actual hockey)…

Note: clicking on the speaker’s name takes you to the source of the quote.  Most sources are in Russian — the translations are mine, and I apologize for any errors or any misunderstandings that may arise from them.

“Our President made an absolutely balanced and correct decision [to allow Russian athletes to go to the Olympics under the neutral flag]. This will shut the mouths of the screamers, who for the last two days via all channels have been suggesting that we not go…  Will the foreign players in the KHL now definitely be released for Korea?  I absolutely did not understand the possibility of not letting them go to their national teams.  This would isolate our league for many years, and deal a blow to the image of our hockey and our country.” — Vyacheslav Fetisov, former Olympian, and current member of the Russian State Duma and the KHL Board of Directors.

 

“Everything is already decided.  So it is not worth commenting on this decision.  Our job is to go out and play at the Olympics.  The decision is made.  There is no point in discussing anything now.”  — SKA St. Petersburg defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov.

 

“Personally, I think we must go [to the Olympics].  This is our country, and will not be taken away from us.  It is inside us, how is it possible to take it away?  Certainly, I would like to perform under our own flag and anthem, but there is nothing to done.  All that is left is to win.” — CSKA Moscow forward Mikhail Grigorenko.

 

“[Playing under a neutral flag is] same as if for you they take a U.S. passport from you, right? You’re not going to feel comfortable…  If some of the athletes doesn’t make a decision yet, that’s their opinion, but for me personally, I would still probably go because for some people, it’s a lot of years preparing.” — Washington Capitals and Russian national team forward Yevgeny Kuznetsov.  

 

“I categorically disagree with the IOC’s decision.  But on the question of going under the neutral flag?  On the one hand, it is sad, but on the other — it is necessary to go.  It is impossible to deprive an athlete, who has been preparing for the Games, the possibility of a trip there…  Participating in the Olympic Games, we will show the whole world that we are stronger and more united in spirit.  And this is all political games before the presidential elections.”  — Former USSR national team forward Boris Mikhailov.

 

“It is not necessary to abandon the Olympics.  It is important to continue to seek ways to have dialogue with the IOC, and try to exculpate all Russian athletes, and also fight with honest methods those who construct various schemes for us…  We ourselves have driven ourselves into an unpleasant situation, from which we must extract ourselves gradually.  Sharp reactions can lead only to a negative result.” — Commentator and former KHL player Alexei Badyukov.  

 

“We will see where things are tomorrow, in the next 48 hours…  We have to see how Russia will react… We need to talk to our (IIHF) people, we need to talk to the Russians. It’s too early make statements.” — IIHF President Rene Fasel (on Tuesday, the same day the decision was released)

 

 

“It is absolutely necessary to go to the Olympics.  What is shameful about athletes going under a neutral flag?…  Is it not shameful to take the Olympics from athletes who are not involved in doping scandals?  It seems to me that the athletes are obliged to go to Korea, and the state ought to do everything so that these athletes do not lack for anything, meaning in terms of preparation…  Because if you put everything aside, it does not matter under what flag they will be, we will know that they are ours!  They will compete not for the global community, but for us.  We will know that on the hockey team there is Ilya Kovalchuk, in the figure-skating — Yevgeniya Medvedeva and Ksenia Stolbova.  We know that they are Russian, and we will cheer for them.

Who is to blame for this situation?  This is a delicate subject.  A conspiracy against Russia?  Well, information can be transmitted very differently.  The way you present it, in that way people will think.  What does “conspiracy” mean?  Who against whom?  I just do not understand this.” — Former Russian national team goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.

 

“[It’s] bullshit.  With everything Russia has done for sport — it doesn’t matter, I’m not just talking about hockey or something different — I think it’s bad.  It’s not just our country that did doping. Everybody got caught, every country…  I think there’s no point to go play for no flag. What are you going to tell your kids? You won the Olympics for who?” — Vancouver Canucks forward Alexander Burmistrov.

 

“Neutral flag?  The Russian national team will go [to the Olympics] in any case.”  — Russian men’s national team Head Coach Oleg Znarok.

 

“I woke up today and some guys in Russia said we should back out. But I never said that and I support the hockey team’s decision.  I’m pretty sure they are going and I’m going to cheer for them.” — Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin.

 

“This [IOC] decision contains in itself a political factor, this is the Cold War in sports.  Athletes will have insufficient time to prepare, no opportunity to react.  The IOC announced this decision too late.  If they had relevant evidence following the results of the investigation, even during the holding of last year’s Olympics in Brazil, why did they not make a decision even then?  Why did they present it only now?” — Kunlun Red Star Beijing Deputy General Director Longmou Li.

 

“The IOC decision?  I have no thoughts on this matter.  We will go, and we will play.  You know who will go under the neutral flag.  Everyone will support this team.  Everyone knows what team is acting under the neutral flag.” — Ak Bars Kazan forward Vladimir Tkachyov.

 

“We must certainly go to the Olympics!  To refuse means to give up!  We understand perfectly that the decision of the IOC [is] pure politics, and we understand against whom it is directed.  Basically, it was obvious that there would be such a decision.  But if our athletes go there, this will rally the country…  We are athletes — outside of politics.  For us this will be a responsible tournament, no different from others.  Patriotism, love of country — these things are in the heart.  For these it is not necessary to yell or even to wear the flag on the chest.  If, God willing, we are able to play well, we will certainly sing the anthem.” — SKA St. Petersburg forward Ilya Kovalchuk.

 

“Parallels with the 1992 Olympics [when the countries of the former USSR competed as one team under a neutral flag] cannot be drawn here, due to the fact that then there was the break-up of the Soviet Union, it was a political situation with in the country.  We understood perfectly whom we were representing.  Now we are driven into this situation.  Anyway, both then and now the athletes represent our people, and together we will live through it and support our kids.”  — Former national team player and coach, and 1992 Olympic gold medalist in hockey, Vyacheslav Bykov.