Oleg Vernyaev, Olympic champion in gymnastics, has changed the jersey for the Ukrainian uniform. At 28 years old, he communicated on his social networks that he had joined the army of his country to fight against the Russian invasion. The gymnast, who in the Rio Olympics-2016 he hung the gold in parallel bars and the silver in the all-around, he hung a photo with the victory sign dressed in his new clothes.
Born in Donetsk, one of the pro-Russian regions of Ukraine that Putin recognized just before the war began, Vernyaev has decided to take up arms after being highly critical of Russia in his latest posts. Last month he called for all Russian athletes to be banned from international competitions. And he too lamented the presence of athletes at Putin’s rally on the anniversary of Crimea’s annexation, especially that of another gymnast, Ifrom Kuliakwho appeared with an Olympic medal from Rio, where Vernyaev won two medals.
“Any professional athlete will never wear the medals of others, for some this is superstition, for some conscience will not allow it. But here is a completely different story. Please tell me, in which competition did this guy win the medal? I must have been very busy and I don’t remember it,” he said ironically.
Kuliak, threatened with sanction for the Z
Kuliak, in addition to never having won an Olympic medal, earned the world’s dislike last weekend when he stood on the podium of the Gymnastics World Cup, with the letter Z symbol on his chest. And the letter z It is the one painted on the Russian military vehicles that have invaded Ukraine so that their planes can distinguish them when the Ukrainians use similar war material. The International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG) has requested a one-year sanction for Kuliak.
The Klitschkos, champions
Vernyaev is the latest athlete to join the army but not the only one. A couple of weeks ago he was also a gymnast Volodymyr Kostiuk, a finalist in the all-around at the last European, confirmed that he had enlisted. The brothers have also taken the rifle Vitali and Vladimir Klitschkomayor of kyiv the first and both former world heavyweight champions.
The Ukrainian government, which prohibits the departure of men between 18 and 60 years of age from the country, had authorized two boxers who were at the front, Vasyl Lomachenko (former featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight world champion) and Oleksandr Usyk, so that they could fight for world boxing titles. While the latter, who has won all 19 of his fights and holds three of the four world heavyweight belts, will face Anthony Joshua, Lomachenko (double Olympic medalist) has given up facing George Kambososlightweight world champion.
Other fighters, like Yaroslav Amosov (former European MMA champion), Georgii Zantaraia (former world judo champion) and Stanislav Horuna (Olympic bronze in karate in Tokyo) have also joined the fight.
From the NBA to the front
Aleksandr Volkovone of the first Europeans to play in the NBA, has joined the fight at the age of 57. Slava Medvedenkotwo-time NBA champion with Kobe and Shaq’s Lakers, has followed suit.
Related news
Serhiy Stakhovsky, Aleksandr Dolgopolov and Andrei Medvedev (who won 11 ATP tournaments and reached the Roland Garros final) have changed their rackets for rifles. In addition to the footballers Oleh Luzhny, Mykhailo Kopolovets, Oleksandr Aliyev and Vitaliy Mandzyuk there is also the Sheriff’s trainer, Yuriy Vernydub, who stormed the Bernabéu in September. Along with the chess players Georgy Timoshenko y Pevel Eljanovthere are also excyclists Andrei Tchmil and Yaroslav Popovich.
Finally, Anastasia Merkushina y Dmytro Pidruchnyi, who started the year shooting in Beijing at the Olympic biathlon, now use their rifle skills to defend their country.
