The mood in Kontiolahti is subdued. But that has nothing to do with the aftermath of the Olympic hardships, it’s rather the war in Ukraine that keeps the biathlon entourage in suspense. Before today’s (2.30 p.m., ORF 1) 4 x 6-kilometer women’s World Cup relay with Austria’s quartet Lisa Hauser, Anna Juppe, Julia Schwaiger and Dunja Zdouc, bad news caused great dismay among the athletes.
Yevgeny Malyshev (19), a former member of the Ukrainian youth national team, died in the fighting near his hometown of Kharkiv. Two years ago he had retired and signed up for military service.
“That’s one too many. End the war!” wrote the Norwegian Johannes Thingnes Bö, who won four gold medals at the Winter Games in Beijing. The Ukrainian Biathlon Federation commented on the terrible news with the words “Heroes don’t die”.
Malyshev is not the only victim from the sports scene. Ukrainian footballers Vitalii Sapylo (21) from second division Karpaty Lviv and Dmytro Martynenko (25) from regional club FC Gostomel were also killed. “Football has suffered its first losses. May they both rest in peace,” tweeted international players’ representation FIFPRO.
Ukrainian ex-biathlon world champion Dmytro Pidruchnyi has come forward with an emotional message from military service and posted a photo showing him in a military uniform with a helmet. “I am grateful to everyone who writes to me and is concerned about my family and to those who support Ukraine,” wrote the 30-year-old, who was on the Olympic mission two weeks ago. “Now I’m in my hometown of Ternopil in the National Guard of Ukraine. This photo was taken during an air raid,” Pidrushnyi explained. Yulia Dschima, who won Olympic gold with the Ukrainian relay team in 2014, is also serving her country.
Yesterday, the world biathlon federation IBU decided not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes at the World Cups after all. The IBU follows the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee.
Source: Nachrichten
