Victoria Gunesh is originally from Ukraine and currently plays for Turkey. Some Russian swimmers demanded the athlete’s punishment for this photo
Photo: Istvan Derencsenyi / Getty Images
European swimming champion Victoria Günes from Turkey has posted on her social networks a photo where someone stands on a Russian flag placed on the floor.
This post angered some Russian swimmers. In particular, Maxim Stupin called for the Turkish athlete to be punished. “Where are the limits of allowed behavior of athletes? If you decide it’s humane to exclude Russian athletes from participating in international competitions, then act here as well. “Nationalism is unacceptable in any form,” he wrote on his social networks, noting, among other things, the accounts of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) and the European Swimming Federation (LEN).
Russian athletes were banned from participating in the World Water Championship
Similar posts were made by world championship medalist Vladislav Grinev and Olympic medalist Kliment Kolesnikov.
Victoria Gunesh (former Solntseva) was born in Poltava. In 2014, she obtained Turkish citizenship and changed her surname. On behalf of the 23-year-old athlete, gold and two bronze medals of the European Championship in short course swimming.
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) announced on March 23 that Russian athletes will not be able to participate in the World Water Ski Championships, which will be held in Budapest this summer.
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