Fed up. For the first time since the start of the suspension of the Russian Athletics Federation, decided in November 2015, an athlete spoke openly to express her disgust and discouragement. For the first time, a Russian champion calls for the resignation of its leaders.
Maria Lasitskene, 26 years old, double world high jump champion (2015 and 2017), spoke on Monday June 10 on social networks. The day after the IAAF's decision to maintain the suspension of Russian athletics for the 11th time, she emptied her bag on her Instagram account.
« Over the last three years, I have heard 200 times that everything has been done and that we are going to be reinstated, wrote the high jumper, the only reigning world champion in Russian athletics. But these are just nice words that people are trying to sell us. All these people think that athletes see nothing, understand nothing and that their only task is to jump and be silent. They forgot that without athletes, the existence of a sports federation makes no sense"
World number 1 in the discipline, Maria Lasitskene suffered directly from the suspension of her federation. She was barred from competing at the Rio 2016 Games, where only one Russian athlete, long jumper Darya Klishina, was admitted. At the time, she expressed her sadness and indignation, but without daring to attack her leaders.
Since then, Maria Lasitskene has been able to participate in all major international competitions, as a neutral athlete. But today, she is stepping up to the plate. She calls for the resignation of the current Russian Athletics Federation team.
« I hope that the people involved in this endless shame will finally have the courage to leave, not only the management, but also all those active coaches who are still convinced that without doping, it is impossible to win. The new generation of our athletes must grow up with a different philosophy, and it is the coach who shapes his athlete"
In a country and a sport where athletes are rarely heard to talk about politics, the high jumper's bloodshed does not go unnoticed. It echoes the exit of Yuri Ganous, the general director of the Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA), who assured last month that the Russian Athletics Federation was living in “ a world of illusion » and should be rid of its main leaders as quickly as possible.
In Russia, the position of the Russian Athletics Federation seems more fragile than ever. Darya Klishina, the vice-world champion in length, relayed Maria Lasitskene's words on her Instagram account, believing that she was perfectly correct.
More symptomatic: the Russian Minister of Sports, Pavel Kolobkov, in turn sides with the high jumper. “ They don't have this direct link with young people, young athletes, and it's rather annoying, he agreed on Monday June 10, speaking about the leaders of Russian athletics. Dmitry Shlyakhtin (the president of the Russian Athletics Federation) should meet them and tell them what kind of work has been done. He must get the full support of our own athletes, all those Russians who represent their country. »
Will Russian athletes bring down their leaders? Possible.
