The Polish volleyball club "Suwalki" announced its withdrawal from the international tournament in the UAE due to the participation of Russian clubs. The competition will be held in Dubai from March 12 to March 20. Earlier, the All-Russian Volleyball Federation reported that in Dynamo Moscow and Novokuibyshevskaya Nova will perform in the UAE.
"The decisive factor influencing the refusal was the information about the participation in the tournament of two clubs representing the Russian Federation. After consulting with our partners, the Polish Volleyball Union and By the Polish Volleyball League, we have decided to support the position of the Polish volleyball community not to play against Russian teams," the Poles said in a statement.
Two-time Olympic biathlon champion Dmitry Vasiliev reacted to the decision of the "European hyenas":
"Very well, it's better for us. At least the air will be cleaner without Polish athletes. And it would be better if the Poles stopped playing sports altogether and stopped participating in all kinds. They're just crazy, flawed people. Their decision not to play with the Russians speaks about their mentality. Poles with such decisions destroy sports, which is designed to unite people and be outside politics. Then let them just do physical education. Although there will be a healthy nation, but without big sports."
And State Duma deputy, Olympic champion Svetlana Zhurova is sure that the removal of Poles from the international tournament is motivated by Russophobia.:
"They still have Russophobia. But we'll have to put up with it, because after some time we'll be back. Will they stop participating in sports competitions because of this now forever? That's their problem. Can this boycott somehow affect the psychological state of the Russian teams? Not at all. All athletes always know who didn't show up, who didn't want to — this is their problem. It's an injury, you just didn't make it, you're boycotting, for some other reason - that's your problem.
Why doesn't anyone think when we're not here? No one worries, but why are there no Russians for so long! You should not pay attention and be distracted by what your rivals are doing. Maybe it's selfish somewhere, but this is the key to the result."
Meanwhile, the Minister of Sports of Russia, the head of the ROC Mikhail Degtyarev said that the lack of a unified position in relations with international partners was a problem that has now been solved.:
"The problem that was visible and greatly hindered was the discord, the Makhnovshchina in relations with international partners. Absolutely uncoordinated statements of athletes and heads of federations.
We recently held a meeting of the Olympic federations and agreed to synchronize contacts with the outside world. And then what happened? Everyone was going somewhere, talking about something, and then broadcasting it outside. It is unclear with whom they consulted, what they discussed. Then our Olympians were called foreign agents, then they promised to drop bombs on European capitals."
Earlier, the president of the Russian Ski Federation Elena Vyalbe suggested that if a "serious bomb" had been dropped on the center of London, Russian athletes would have been immediately returned to international competitions.
Some kind of another looking glass is coming out. The Czechs do not allow "estranged" neutral Russians to join them at the European Rowing Championships, the Poles, twisting their snout, refuse to perform with us at a commercial tournament, and the minister demands respectful treatment of enemies and affectionate whispers in conversations with international scoundrels who have been treating athletes of a great power for the ninth year.
Apparently, someone hopes that if you bend your head even lower, the executioners from the IOC will feel and "forgive" the Russians. At least, they say, partially, by returning, for example, the opportunity for athletes to communicate with the media.
Despite the fact that even a hedgehog understands that there are no concessions to be expected. Yes, and Trump is still not really moving in terms of rescuing Russians from humiliatingly neutral captivity. There is no time for him, the sobbing Canadian Trudeau calms down and threatens with punishments one Krivoy Rog dirty.