“Do not tolerate trivialization”
Bundesliga club throws out Russian Olympic champions
April 5, 2022, 9:25 p.m
At the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Nikita Nagornyy won three medals for Russia, and now he’s rid of his day-to-day job. Bundesliga club TG Saar separates from the exceptional gymnast. He has therefore expressed support for the Russian war of aggression on social media.
Gymnastics Bundesliga club TG Saar has separated from the Russian team Olympic champion Nikita Nagornyy. The club announced this on its website. The background is Nagornyy’s statements on social media about the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. “TG Saar expressly distances itself from the violent attacks in Ukraine and does not tolerate any trivialization or support of this war of aggression,” the association said.
The 25-year-old Russian, who was still doing gymnastics for third place in the Bundesliga in 2021, still had a contract for this season. He would not have been scheduled for the spring portion of the season due to shoulder surgery. Nagornyy, who is a lieutenant in the Russian national guard and chief of staff of the youth army, had recently spoken out in support of the war in Ukraine. “We have no other choice,” said TG chairman Torsten Michels “Saarbruecker Newspaper”.
To the report According to Nagornyy, he is “a lieutenant in the Russian National Guard and chief of staff in the youth army”. A video shows how the multiple world and European champion comments on how “our military can be supported in their special operations”. This is the official name given to the Kremlin for a war of aggression, and the word “war” is now a punishable offense in Russia. With reference to the specialist portal, the “Saarbrücker Zeitung” further reports that Nagornyy is “on a propaganda tour and is currently and actively appearing in front of children from the Donbass region, initiated and handed over letters of support and care packages to wounded Russian soldiers”.
The world gymnastics association FIG tightened its sanctions against Russia and Belarus a few weeks ago. Until further notice, the athletes from both nations are no longer allowed to take part in events under the sovereignty of the FIG. The same applies to officials and referees. In the closing words of the statement, TG Saar wishes its former athlete, who won team gold as well as bronze in the all-around and on the horizontal bar at the Tokyo Olympics, “all the best for the future” despite the inevitable separation, according to his own words.