Without flag and anthem at the Games, Russia aims for 50 medals in Tokyo – 07/17/2021

Moscow, July 16 EFE). – One of the greatest sports powers on the planet, will never again raise the flag of Russia and its national anthem in a copy of the Olympic Games in the case of the achievements of its athletes in Tokyo.

This is due to the suspension imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), due to the country’s government-sponsored doping scheme, which was revealed before the previous edition of the mega multi-sport event, in Rio de Janeiro, in 2016.

In all, more than 300 athletes will be sent to the Japanese capital, who will participate in the competitions as neutrals, and the Russian sports authorities expect the delegation to receive about 50 medals.

“We are a united team, and when united we are invincible. We will have to compete without knowledge and without anthem, but the most important thing is that the loyalty and love for our country is within us. I guarantee that nobody can take us away,” said Svetlana Romashina, a five-time Olympic champion in synchronized swimming. “.

Although, for fear of contracting covid-19, he missed the European Football Cup, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, made an exception from receiving the country’s athletes who will participate in the Tokyo Games.

Putin wished the Olympic team a “successful participation” and urged Russian athletes to respect the rules imposed in the Japanese capital.

In total, Russia will have 335 athletes in Tokyo, more than 50 athletes in the Rio version, when all representatives of athletics were suspended, as well as many weightlifting, rowing, cycling, swimming and rowing.

In addition, 60% of Russian representatives have been vaccinated against COVID-19, and the rest already have antibodies against the disease, according to the Russian Olympic Committee (COR).

Target 50 medals.

The goal of the commission is for Russian athletes to achieve results similar to those obtained in 2016 and to take third place in the final medal table.

“We plan to fight for about 50 medals,” said Stanislav Pozdnyakov, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.

At the Rio Olympics, the Russians won 56 medals, including 19 gold, and took fourth place after the United States, Great Britain and China.

The styles in which Russian leaders expect good results are wrestling, judo, artistic gymnastics, fencing, boxing, swimming and synchronized swimming.

Among the rising sports stars in Russia is swimmer Kliment Kolesnikov, who broke the world record at the 50-meter European Championships in backstroke.

Among team sports, Russian hopes are centered on women’s handball, women’s water polo and men’s volleyball.

Punishing doping.

When a Russian-born athlete or team wins a competition at the Tokyo Games, the national anthem will not be played, but a tune composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. On the medal board, the abbreviation representing the Russians will be exchanged for one referring to the National Olympic Committee.

This was the result of a doping scandal that first hit athletics, and then winter sports at the Sochi Games. WADA decided to suspend the country from events for four years, still in 2019.

For synchronized swimmers, it is not even possible to play songs that mention the word Russia.

Another restrictive measure imposed by WADA is to prevent the presence of officials of the country’s government in competition venues, although President Vladimir Putin may receive a special invitation from the government of the organizing country, to avoid the ban.

Athletes with 10 athletes.

In Rio de Janeiro, in 2016, Russia had only one actress, jumper Daria Klishina. In Tokyo, there will be ten, all neutral, with permission from the International Sports Federation (World Athletics Federations).

However, there are athletes from the country who will arrive in the Japanese capital with an air of favoritism, such as Maria Lasitskene, three-time world champion in the high jump, and Anzelika Sidorova, in pole vaulting.

The question is Sergei Shubenkov, the European and world champion in the 110-meter hurdle, who obtained a guarantee of entering the Games in the final stage of preparations, after being out of competition for nearly six months, due to suspicions of doping.