Sunday, January 09, 2022
Biathlete with a “small gesture”
Lesser takes care of battered Russians
The German biathlete Erik Lesser helps in an emergency: Because the Russian Eduard Latypow is in quarantine in Oberhof and cannot train properly shortly before the Olympic Games, Lesser takes care of the competitor – and organizes training opportunities.
Biathlete Erik Lesser helps his opponent Eduard Latypow in the Corona emergency. Because the 27-year-old Russian tested positive for the virus at the World Cup in Oberhof and has to stay in quarantine for a total of two weeks in Thuringia, Lesser equips him with training equipment. “Since I live here and there is nothing when it comes to bicycles that I don’t have, I offered my bike with the role,” Lesser told Sky TV on Sunday: “He also gets shoes and pants that should be size roughly fit. ”
According to Lesser, who has a house in Oberhof, Latypow is allowed to train out of his hotel room for two hours a day, but otherwise has few opportunities to train. “I can imagine that this will be a difficult situation for him shortly before the Olympic Games,” said former world champion Lesser, who does not want his action to be overrated: “It’s just a small gesture and an opportunity to get together internationally act.” Lesser himself had not made the action public, the reference to the great fair play gesture came from the Russian team.
Meanwhile, the 33-year-old Lesser praised the Russians for their work in recent years. After many doping problems it can now be seen “that a lot is running smoothly,” said the Thuringian: “They have certainly turned 180 degrees. And I have absolute respect for how they have worked for the last two years.”
But Lesser made an exception. “The only one who has a past on the team is Loginow,” said the veteran. Alexander Loginow was banned for two years until 2016 because of epo abuse. He had won the World Cup sprint in Oberhof on Friday.