Russia provides biathlon Zoff
Pidruchyi: Fourcades “go to hell”
4/4/2022 4:57 p.m
Shortly after the Winter Olympics, Ukrainian biathlete Dmytro Pidrichnyi becomes an involuntary soldier in the war. He is ready to defend his country – even with sharp words. On Instagram he takes on France’s biathlon icon Martin Fourcade.
Ukrainian biathlete Dmytro Pidruchnyi has sharply criticized France’s star Martin Fourcade and his four-year-old brother Simon Fourcade after an interview with 37-year-old Simon Fourcades. “Martin and Simon, go to hell. I hope that your children will never feel the pain that Ukrainian children have experienced,” wrote Pidruchnyi on Instagram, among other things.
Pidrichnyi, who, like other athletes in his home country, is fighting in the army against the Russian invaders, was outraged by statements by Simon Fourcade on the Russian TV channel Match. There he described the sporting exclusion of the Russians as a “big mistake”.
In addition, the head coach of the French biathlon juniors at the Junior World Championships in Soldier Hollow, USA, which ended on Sunday, cut up a French flag in protest against the Russian flag ban and glued it to the Russians’ wax booth, which was only used at the World Championships found out about their starting ban.
Martin Fourcade defends himself
“I’m sorry I voted for Martin on the NOC committee and that such great athletes turned out to be crappy people,” wrote the 30-year-old Pidrushnyi. The five-time Olympic gold medalist, who was elected to the IOC Athletes’ Commission at the Beijing Winter Olympics, wrote in response on Instagram: “I understand your anger and sadness but do not allow you to offend anyone for disagreeing with what his Brother said! In case you forgot, my name is Martin and I haven’t done an interview lately!”
Simon Fourcade also commented on social media, in which he received many hate comments: “I do not support war and I do not support the Russian government!” At the same time, he maintains that the exclusion of Russian athletes is “completely counterproductive and a great deal of hypocrisy”.