PHOTO: Bildbyrån
The issue of Russian citizens in sports has been discussed for a long time now.
One who has taken a stand clearly against is Sebastian Samuelsson.
– If you can’t answer that question, I don’t know what to do, says the biathlete to DN.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there have been discussions about whether Russian and Belarusian citizens should be allowed to participate in international sports. For the most part, the answer has been no. But now more and more sports are starting to open up and allow them again, usually under a neutral flag.
Samuelsson’s position
Late Sebastian Samuelsson six years ago broke through, the biathlete has not been afraid to take a stand and stand up for his opinions. The 26-year-old has made appearances and one and the other, for which he has received both praise and hatred. But Samuelsson continues to run his race.
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In addition to the Russia issue, things like sportswashing, championships in oil dictatorships and rainbow bandages have also been discussed in the world of sports in recent years.
– I have always said that sports and politics belong together. Now everyone must understand that they do it. It is indistinguishable. Sport as a movement has a great responsibility. We know that sport is used for propaganda purposes, it is going on far too widely, says Samuelsson to Dagens Nyheter.
Saw Duplantis
Earlier this year, it came out that the former president of the Swedish Sports Confederation Karl-Erik Nilsson opened for Russian teams in youth tournaments. It went against Sweden’s line, and Nilsson was forced to resign after much criticism.
– Karl-Erik Nilsson is probably also a good example of someone who sits on double chairs and wants to be at ease with people. It is far too much that people want to be ready and climb a ladder, says Samuelsson to the daily newspaper.
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Unlike Sebastian Samuelsson, there are many athletes who did not want to speak out to the same extent. For example, have Armand Duplantis said he is “too uneducated on the subject” to comment on Russian citizens in this summer’s Olympics.
– I’m just as surprised every time… It’s not like you get questions about various motions in the Riksdag, but you get asked what you think about the war in Ukraine. And if you can’t answer that question, then I don’t know what to do. Unfortunately, says Samuelsson about such statements.
READ MORE: The expert’s harsh criticism after Armand Duplanti’s new success – now sees the achievement as a whole: “I hate it”
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