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Russian & Ukrainian Olympic medalists whose hug prompted diplomatic drama pose for snap once more… as husband warns in opposition to backlash
The husband of Russia’s Olympic excessive bounce champion has warned individuals to not depart extra abuse for her after she was pictured at shut quarters with one among her principal rivals on the Video games – a Ukrainian – once more.
Gold medalist Maria Lasitskene and bronze winner Yaroslava Mahuchikh earned a combined response after the military athletes had been pictured warmly embracing one another in Tokyo, with a few of the angrier on-line responses even accusing them of being traitors.
Ukraine’s Deputy Protection Minister introduced that Mahuchikh could be summoned to elucidate her actions within the context of what they described as the continuing “Russian-Ukrainian warfare”, and a consultant of Russia’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs hit again at Mahuchikh’s critics in her homeland, accusing them of “persecuting” the star and being “the actual enemies of Ukraine”.
Now a fellow excessive jumper, former Commonwealth Video games gold medalist Eleanor Patterson, has shared a snap of the pair smiling in shut proximity once more on the Diamond League remaining in Zurich, the place Lasitskene edged out Mahuchikh to earn the $ 30,000 first prize.
“It was phenomenal to look at these ladies,” mentioned Patterson, writing alongside the image which exhibits an arm round Mahuchikh’s shoulder from the route of Lasitskene.
“It wasn’t my day with a slight niggle. Nonetheless, it’s the tip of my season and time to calm down for a second.”
Lasitskene confirmed her approval by responding with a pair of emojis, whereas her husband, Vladas Lasickas, was reportedly eager to beat back any extra controversy and make clear what viewers had been seeing.
— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) September eight, 2021
Lasickas insisted that the hand belonged to Aussie athlete Nicola McDermott, who was standing behind them, and claimed that the one-off image had been taken to commemorate the tip of the profession of Polish athlete Kamila Litsvinko, who stood on the entrance of the group.
“The hand of Maria, hugging Yaroslava, is the hand of Nicola,” Lasickas is quoted to have replied by Tribuna. “Don’t gentle up rubbish from nothing.”
The row over Lasitskene and Mahuchikh’s rejoicing hug on the Video games has continued to have repercussions greater than a month after the incident.
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Final week, Ukrainian sprinter Ihor Tsvietov prompted a storm by showing to snub the prospect to hitch Russian champion Dmitry Safronov and his bronze-winning compatriot, Artyom Kalashyan, on the identical a part of their podium on the Paralympics.
Tsvietov mentioned the transfer was an act of respect in the direction of his rivals, though photographs which have since emerged of him posing subsequent to them, taken at an occasion earlier this 12 months, have heightened suspicions that he had been informed to keep away from footage just like those portraying Lasitskene and Mahuchikh, or was eager to keep away from any controversies.
Ukrainian karate bronze medalist Stanislav Horuna backed Mahuchikh, arguing that sport is past politics, and the mayor of Mahuchikh’s dwelling metropolis of Dnipro additionally supplied the 19-year-old his emphatic assist.
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‘That’s his enterprise’: Russian record-breaker reacts after Ukrainian reportedly snubs picture beside him on Paralympics podium once more
