Russia accuses US of rigging Tokyo Games

3 years ago 343

Russian officials person accused the United States and others of rigging the Games aft finishing 5th successful the Tokyo medal count.

Russian-born athletes competed nether the Russian Olympic Committee sanction successful Japan owed to punishment for administering a authorities sanctioned doping program. The prohibition ends successful 2022. The state finished the Games with 20 golden 28 metallic and 23 bronze which is the lowest decorativeness since the 1912 Olympics successful Stockholm.

According to The Daily Beast, Russian lawmaker Aleksei Zhuravlyov, described different competing countries astatine the Games arsenic "a battalion of Russophobic beasts, headed by the United States."

His sentiments were echoed by Olga Skabeeva, who is simply a tv big of Russia's stated-owned tv channel. She said the Summer Games were the "clearest illustration of full Russophobia."

"These Olympic Games stink," Skabeeva said. "Global sports everlastingly ceased being an honorable competition, turning into a inexpensive governmental farce. At the behest of Americans, the International Olympic Committee took distant 2 golden medals from Russian."

Most of the contention surrounded the ruling astir three-time rhythmic gymnastics satellite champion Dina Averina, who won metallic down Israel's Linoy Ashram successful the women's all-around event.

Silver medalist Dina Averina of Team ROC poses connected the podium aft the Individual All-Around Final connected time 15 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games astatine Ariake Gymnastics Centre connected August 07, 2021 successful Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) (Getty)

Russia officially protested the result, saying the judging was biased due to the fact that Ashram dropped her ribbon arsenic her regular ended. However, Averina won golden astatine the 2018 satellite championships aft besides dropping her ribbon.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Tokyo judges committed "fraud successful beforehand of the full world."

Deputy talker of the Russian State Duma Pyotr Tolstoy added: "Americans are freaks. Moral freaks. Why are we adjacent discussing this parade of freaks and perverts?"

There was nary emotion mislaid betwixt the American and Russian athletes successful Tokyo. Ryan Murphy, who won bronze successful the men's 100m backstroke and metallic successful the 200m backstroke, took a excavation astatine Russian Evgeny Rylov, who won golden successful some of those events.

"I americium swimming successful a contention that's astir apt not clean," Murphy said.

Fellow swimmer Lily King agreed with the appraisal describing the Russian prohibition arsenic a "slap connected the wrist".

"There are a batch of radical present that should not beryllium here," she said connected her mode location from Tokyo.

"I wasn't racing anyone from a state who should person been banned and alternatively got a slap connected the wrist and rebranded their nationalist flag. So, I personally wasn't arsenic affected. But Ryan was. I consciousness similar that has tainted your Games, and for that I'm truthful sorry.

"There were, I'm sure, a batch of radical from definite countries competing this week that astir apt shouldn't person been here."

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