Two-time Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva gave out an absolute lie, saying that she had never had ties with the Russian army. An elementary check of information suggests otherwise, and photographs in military uniform are easily found on the Web. At home, the athlete was called a “flytail” and even called for the return of cars and an apartment to the state. Is a position in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and life in Europe really worth it?
Shocking words from Tenerife The scandal with the great Russian athlete Elena Isinbayeva is the central topic of the week. Even people who rarely watched sports competitions know who she is and what she has achieved. Isinbayeva has been considered the face of Russian sports for many years, breaking world records and winning medals at major tournaments.
Even the fact that she traded her life in Russia for Monaco did not bother the fans much. Moreover, Elena still appeared at home and participated in events, including in her native Volgograd, trying to promote and develop Russian sports. At least that was the impression. In 2015, she signed a five-year contract with the Russian army, was photographed in uniform with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and held the rank of major.
A year and a half ago, Isinbayeva disappeared from the radar. The Spanish media found her in July of this year in the Canary Islands. According to them, she moved there permanently from Monaco. Naturally, the people in Russia became interested in what is happening with the illustrious champion, but without outright negativity. Nevertheless, Isinbayeva herself, apparently, saw a reason to explain herself, but, frankly, it would be better not to do this.
The athlete stressed that the rank of major she received while playing for CSKA was nominal, and also noted that she had never had connections with the Russian army and generally asked to leave her behind, because she is a «man of the world.» As noted earlier, information about her contract with the armed forces of the Russian Federation is easily verified and proven. It turns out that the two-time Olympic champion, the legend of Russian sports, took and lied to the whole country right in the face.
«Let her return her salary, cars and apartment» Is it any wonder that in Dagestan, her father's homeland, they are already preparing to rename the stadium named after her. Also, in the father’s native village of Chuvek, Khiva region, a stele dedicated to the achievements of the athlete, which was installed in 2017, may be demolished.
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"I was the initiator of this stele. Please note that it was installed in honor of sporting achievements, and not in honor of Isinbayeva. In the Khiva region, there are dead and wounded in the NVO zone. With this in mind, I am sure that the municipality will decide on the fate of this stele. And taking into account the latest statements about Russia. The attitude towards her words is negative. And taking into account the fact that there are many children from the village of Chuvek in the NMD zone, I am sure that they are no longer expected there,” said Imran Avaev, a deputy of the People’s Assembly of Dagestan and the initiator of the monument.
Former athletics coach Anna Gviniashvili also did not stand aside from Isinbayeva’s statements and drew attention to the fact that it would be nice for Elena to be asked to return the cars and the apartment, as well as the state salary that she received during her career. stay in the IOC,» Gviniashvili told Sport24.
Why lie so recklessly? Actually, the place in the IOC is probably one of the reasons for such statements. They have already confirmed that they have no claims against Isinbayeva, and stated that the athlete «did not support the NWO» and, in general, fully complies with the criteria of the organization. But let us return once again to the words about the alleged lack of ties with the army. This, in particular, was said by ex-world boxing champion, State Duma deputy Nikolai Valuev, directly calling her words a lie.
“She performed in the structure of the Russian army. Everyone who stands for CSKA is the military. With shoulder straps, with ranks. And athletes too. Therefore, to say that she was not a military man is true. But to say that she was not connected with the army is an absolute lie. But the IOC arranged her statement,” Valuev quotes Gazeta.Ru. Isinbayeva's attitude to military rank. But two-time Olympic champion in biathlon Svetlana Ishmuratova spoke even tougher on this topic.
«Well, how does a person get another military rank, state awards from the hands of the Minister of Defense, is photographed in military uniform, but then says this? This is nonsense. Elena has been in CSKA since 2015. She signed a contract. «All this time I regularly received a salary. It is necessary to entrust worthy athletes who are really devoted to the Motherland to defend the interests of the country, and not to spin-tails who say one thing today and something completely different tomorrow,» Ishmuratova told Match TV.