The Russian national team was removed from the Olympic Games, but domestic athletes will still be able to participate in the competition, however, only in neutral status. figured out what would have to sacrifice those wishing to go to Pyeongchang, and who else participated in the Games under the flag of the International Olympic Committee(IOC).
No flag and anthem
The IOC's decision to remove the Russian national team from the upcoming Olympics in Pyeongchang had the effect of a bomb. Shrapnel hooked everyone - starting with loyal fans of crying sobbing in live"Match TV" of domestic biathletes, ending with the townsfolk, going through life with the motto: "How tired of this your sport." However, with a greater degree of probability, it will still work to cheer for ours in Korea - the head of the IOC took care of the fate of "clean" athletes, allowing them to compete under neutral flag... And the President of Russia, for his part, blessed the Russian Olympians to travel to Pyeongchang under the IOC flag.
What does it mean? An athlete performs in neutral status if, for some reason, he cannot represent his own country at the Games. By the way, the Zasport company, which made a splash with the presentation of the Olympic outfit of the Russian national team, remained at a broken trough - special equipment is provided for neutral athletes (without flags and other state symbols). Visionary Nike began developing such a uniform for Russian athletes a few days before the official decision of the IOC was announced. However, Zasport was not taken aback - despite the sanctions, the collection will go on sale in mid-December. According to experts, the misadventures of the domestic Olympians will only increase the demand for the product.
The system of individual admission of Russian athletes to the competition was successfully tested at the World Athletics Championships in London this summer, and at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro a year earlier. Then only a long jumper went to Brazil. It's hard to say what influenced her more: litigation with the International Association athletics federations(IAAF), who allowed her to the Games in a neutral status (later the IOC allowed her to fly under the Russian flag), or the curses of the patriots that plentifully poured in her address (for living and training in the USA), but Klishina did not achieve success in Rio , taking in the end only ninth place.
But Daria was not the favorite of that Olympics. Another thing, Maria Lasitskene and the elite of the Russian athletics before the 2016 Games were not allowed, despite protests, appeals to the court and attempts to reach the IAAF in individually... Isinbayeva, who never recovered from a stab in the back, ended her career, and Shubenkov and Lasitskene a year later performed excellently at the world championship - Sergei won a silver medal in the 110-meter hurdles, and Maria became the champion in high jump. True, the Russian anthem was never played in the capital of Brazil - Shubenkov and Lasitskene performed in neutral status. These are the rules.
After the victory, Lasitskene admitted that she did not like to compete in this form. “I also really wanted to run the lap of honor with the Russian flag. I really wanted to hear the national anthem, ”the athlete complained, looking at the rivals who were celebrating the medals in a more familiar style - wrapped in the flags of their countries, they happily posed for photographers. The Russian woman modestly stood aside - it was not that she could not take the flag, it was forbidden to even paint her nails in its colors. Unpleasant? Undoubtedly. But there are only two ways out of this situation - to agree and fully comply with the conditions put forward or to refuse international competitions altogether.
At the moment, a clear procedure for admitting Russians to the Olympics and the final composition of domestic participants in the Games have not been determined. The IOC only announced that those wishing to perform will undergo a special doping control. Nevertheless, our athletes have no reason for strong concern - after all, a similar algorithm has been used before, and the Russians sought the right to go to the start.
Photo: Wang Lili / Xinhua via ZUMA Wire
If domestic athletes nevertheless decide to go to Pyeongchang, they will not be the first to compete at the Games under the Olympic flag. History knows many examples of the participation of independent athletes in the Olympic Games. However, in some ways, the Russians will still be the first - never before has an entire country been disqualified due to doping. Politics, corruption and even disintegration of states - all this was, but doping - for the first time in history.
Until 1980, the IOC banned athletes many times different countries participate in the Olympics. The USSR (because of the difference in the ideas of communism and Olympism), fascist Germany (for obvious reasons), South Africa (because of the apartheid regime) and a number of other states fell under the sanctions. Until 1980, not a single athlete was allowed to compete under the IOC flag.
Summer Olympics-1980 in Moscow
For the first time, the world saw athletes competing under the Olympic flag on Summer Games 1980 in Moscow. Then several athletes from Western countries received neutral status. That Olympics took place at the height of the Cold War - as a result, the United States and 62 other countries boycotted it. The reason was the introduction of Soviet troops into Afghanistan. The American president called on the IOC to move the Games to Greece, gave ultimatums to the USSR government, but did not achieve what he wanted. As a result, many Western countries ignored the competition. A number of states did not go to Moscow for economic and political reasons, and Iran, Mozambique and Qatar did not receive invitations from the IOC.
Representatives of Australia, Andorra, Belgium, Great Britain, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, San Marino, France and Switzerland performed under the Olympic flag. The Spaniards, Portuguese and New Zealanders also arrived in Moscow, but competed under the flags of the national Olympic committees, not their own countries. Among the neutral athletes were the champions of those Games - the Italian judoka Ezio Gamba, who later became the head coach and general manager of the Russian national judo team (it is with his name that the triumph of Russian judokas at the 2012 Olympic Games is associated) and the British runner Sebastian Coe, who took the post in 2015 President of the IAAF and took a direct part in the removal of Russian athletes. By the way, Coe competed in the form of the British national team, then the IOC had nothing against this.
1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville
After the final collapse of the USSR in December 1991, a huge number of athletes from Russia and the former Soviet republics found themselves in limbo - the old state disappeared from the political map of the world, and the new state had enough problems without sports. Naturally, the IOC was of little interest - the collapse of the collapse, and the Olympics on schedule. In February 1992, the Winter Games were held in Albertville, France.
Athletes from Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine performed in France all together - the United Team (that was the official name of that team of a non-existent country) competed under the Olympic flag. As a result, the former Soviet athletes won 23 medals (of which 9 were gold) and took second place in the team classification, losing only to the Germans, who won one more award of the highest standard. The Olympic anthem was played at the awards.
Photo: Igor Utkin; Alexander Yakovlev / TASS
Summer Olympics 1992 in Barcelona
In August of the same year, there were already 12 participating countries in the Joint Team. Only Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia refused to join their former compatriots. Representatives of the former USSR were not considered neutral athletes - all medals were counted towards the United Team, and the anthem of a particular country sounded at the awards ceremony.
The combined team won 112 medals (including 45 gold) and finished first overall, beating the Americans and Germans in second and third, respectively.
“Independent Olympic Athletes” first appeared at the Games in Barcelona - because of the sanctions against Yugoslavia and Macedonia, the IOC did not allow these countries to attend the 1992 Olympic Games, as a result 58 athletes competed in neutral status in 13 events. Independent athletes have won three medals, and all in bullet shooting- Yasna Shekarich went home with silver, Aranka Binder and - with bronze medals.
Summer Olympics 2000 in Sydney
In 2000, East Timor distinguished himself. The country was in the process of gaining independence from Indonesia and simply did not have a national Olympic committee. Four athletes arrived in Sydney, competing with the Olympic flag on their shoulders and East Timor in their hearts. None of them won fame as expected - weightlifter Martinho de Araujo became 20th, the boxer lost in the first fight, marathon runners Kalishto da Costa and Agida Amaral took 71st place among men and 43rd place among women, respectively.
And more about flags. At the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympics, athletes from Northern and South Korea for the first time passed a united front. Then the countries were closer than ever, and in the parade the Koreans marched under the united flag, which was carried by two standard-bearers at the same time - in the center of the white cloth was the blue silhouette of the Korean Peninsula.
Summer Olympics 2012 in London
Athletes from the Netherlands Antilles went to the Games in London under the Olympic flag. In 2010, the state existed as a result of constitutional reform. As a result, the country's national Olympic committee was expelled from the membership of the IOC, and athletes who made it to the Olympics were offered a choice - to compete under the Olympic flag or to represent the Netherlands or Aruba. In neutral status, three went to London - runner Limarvin Bonevasia (reached the semifinals at a distance of 400 meters), judoka Reginald de Windt (dropped out in the first round, losing to a Russian who later won a bronze medal) and Philipine van Anholt, who took 36th place in sailing competitions).
There was another independent athlete in London, the South Sudanese-born marathon runner Guor Marial. During the games, the country has already gained independence, but did not manage to acquire a national committee. The independent athlete finished 47th.
Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi
In December 2012, the IOC disqualified the Olympic Association of India (OAI). The government of the country intervened in the election of the new composition of the organization, which contradicts the requirements of the IOC. As a result, the Indians went to Sochi under the Olympic flag. Only luge Shiva Keshavan had a chance to perform under it. He raced on February 8-9 and placed 37th in the singles competition. Two days later, the IOC reinstated the OAI in rights, and two other athletes were able to compete under the flag of India: skier Nadeem Iqbal finished 85th in the 15 km race in classic style, and skier Himanshu Thakur became 72nd in giant slalom.
Nine Kuwaiti athletes came to Brazil under the Olympic flag - they participated in the clay pigeon shooting, swimming and fencing. The IOC considered that the country's government interfered with the activities of the national Olympic committee, and revoked its accreditation.
The highest result in Rio was achieved by the shooter Fehaid ad-Dikhani. He won gold medal in a double-trap. His compatriot Abdullah ar-Rashidi won bronze in the skete. At the awards ceremony, proud neutral athletes listened to the IOC anthem.
In our country, no matter how it is called, since the first Olympics there has been a tradition: the standard-bearer should be an athlete known to the whole world, or someone who has already achieved certain heights in his sports career, or systematically moving towards conquering olympic gold... In short, a champion both in spirit and on paper. The standard bearer of the Russian national team at the Sochi Olympics fully corresponds to this definition, because in the current team, few can compete with him in the number of regalia. Bobsledder Alexander Zubkov is a two-time Olympic medalist, world and European champion, winner of seven World Cups. He became a worthy successor of a number of star Soviet and Russian standard-bearers, of whom there were many in 33 Olympics.
Alexander Medved. Munich 1972
The wrestler became one of the brightest standard-bearers in the Soviet Union. He was entrusted with a place at the head of the column at the Munich Olympics. By that time, the Russian hero with a speaking surname was already a two-time Olympic champion, and therefore no one was surprised when the eminent heavyweight was given the honorary right to enter the stadium first among Soviet athletes. In Germany, the Bear won his third gold medal in a row and became one of the most titled standard-bearers in history, eclipsing compatriots Vlasov and Jabotinsky, who won only two top awards.
Alexander Karelin. Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996
The national team banner became a lucky talisman for our other strongman - Alexandra Karelina... The greatest wrestler of the Greco-Roman style in the 20th century went to the opening ceremony three times with a flag in his hands. Interestingly, each time the banner was different: in Seoul, Alexander carried the flag Soviet Union, four years later in Barcelona - the Olympic flag with five rings, and already in 1996, in the American Atlanta - the Russian tricolor. However, the change of colors did not frighten the great athlete: at all three Olympics, Karelin was certainly head and shoulders above all his rivals and always returned with a gold medal. Alexander made his only misfire in Sydney when he was not heading the Russian delegation. This is it, it turns out, what is the curse of the Olympic banner?
Vladislav Tretyak. Innsbruck 1976, Sarajevo 1984
Another, without exaggeration, great athlete - hockey player Vladislav Tretyak - twice carried the flag of the Soviet Union at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Interestingly, the deprivation of the right to be a standard-bearer did not work well for the hockey goalkeeper: in Innsbruck and Sarajevo, Tretyak, together with the team, became an Olympic champion, and in Lake Placid he received only a silver medal. Moreover, the eminent goalkeeper watched the final two periods decisive match with the Americans from the bench - Viktor Tikhonov sent the goalkeeper there after a goal conceded in the last seconds of the first period. Nevertheless, Tretiak, among other things, the winner at the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo, is clearly included in the list of the most eminent standard-bearers of our country.
Alexander Tikhonov. Lake Placid 1980
The best biathlete of the twentieth century, a four-time Olympic champion, is "to blame" for the silver medal of Tretyak and the entire hockey squad. The athlete who carried the Soviet flag already had gold medals from the three previous Olympics in his personal piggy bank, and in Lake Placid he managed to add another one to them. All four times Tikhonov won as part of the relay four, but this does not detract from his achievements and does not negate the fact that Tikhonov is the most titled athlete who has ever had to carry the banner of our country at the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games.
Andrey Lavrov. Sydney 2000
The name of Lavrov is perhaps the least known among the others in the list presented, however, in regards, he will give odds to many. Lavrov is an outstanding Soviet and Russian handball goalkeeper, a participant in five Olympics, from four of which he returned with an award. Andrey is a three-time Olympic champion, and he won the third gold at the Games in Sydney - in the same place where he carried the Russian flag at the opening ceremony. The first two victories were won in Seoul and Barcelona, and therefore the choice of a stately, strong two-time Olympic champion as a representative of the Russian delegation satisfied the overwhelming majority of athletes and fans.
Alexander Popov. Athens 2004
Surprisingly, the most titled standard-bearer in the history of our country did not manage to win a single medal at the Games, where he had to carry the Russian flag. An outstanding swimmer in Athens, even in his crown disciplines, performed inexpressively, and therefore could not add anything to his impressive medal collection. Nevertheless, Popov is a four-time Olympic champion and a five-time vice-champion of the Games. None of the standard-bearers of the national team of our country has any more, and so far there are no athletes capable of breaking Alexander's record.
Alexey Morozov. Vancouver 2010
In the hockey field, Tretyak could be the successor. He, two-time world champion, silver medalist of the Olympic Games in Nagano, the leader of the national team was entrusted to carry the Russian flag at the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Vancouver. The stately hockey player looked great at the gala event, but, unfortunately, he could not help his team win medals at the Games. In the quarterfinals, the Russians suffered a painful defeat from their principal rivals from Canada, and Alexei failed to add anything to the list of his achievements in Vancouver, except for the title of the national team's standard-bearer.
Maria Sharapova. London 2012
The specificity of tennis is such that the title of Olympic champion in this sport does not mean the same thing as in hockey or wrestling. Therefore, Maria Sharapova, although she did not achieve any success at the Olympics until 2012, still received the right to carry the flag of her country according to her merits - in the world of Sharapova, she is one of the most famous Russian athletes. Just before the London Games, Maria won open championship France in tennis and became one of the few tennis players in history to collect victories in all tournaments " Grand Slam"And at the Olympics itself, Sharapova reached the final, where, unfortunately, she lost. But the title of vice-champion of the Games will undoubtedly take an important place in the endless list of titles of one of the best tennis players in the world.
The flag of the delegation of Olympic athletes from Russia will be carried by a volunteer at the opening ceremony. So the IOC decided.
FROM THE HISTORY OF THE ISSUE
This is bad?
Let's turn to history.
Neutral teams at the Olympics are not uncommon. Not every time, but often at the Opening Ceremony, a modest group of athletes under the Olympic flag marches around the stadium with the rest of the delegations. As a rule - from small, newly formed countries that have just gained independence, but have not yet had time to join the IOC. Or - from the national teams, which were thereby disqualified by the IOC (usually for political reasons), but at the same time the athletes themselves were able to receive the notorious invitation to the Games. For example, in London 2012, such a team of "neutral Olympic athletes" included four people from two countries (Curacao and South Sedan), in Sydney 2000 - three (from East Timor), in Rio 2016 there were two of them (from Kuwait) ... At the same time, both won medals! They performed in shooting, Fehil Al-Dihani took gold, Abdullah Al-Rashidi took bronze.
Back at the Olympics in Brazil, the "Olympic Refugee Team" first appeared (the IOC, as you can see, likes to experiment with various variations of neutral teams). It included athletes who received official refugee status, confirmed by the UN, while qualifying for the Games according to the usual qualification standards in their forms. 10 people came to Rio at once - natives of Syria, South Sudan, DC Congo and Ethiopia. They also participated in the Opening ceremony.
Who carried the flag in each case? Here everything is different. In Sydney, it was an athlete - boxer Victor Ramos. Volunteer in London. In Rio, it is the “independent Olympic team” - the very two Kuwaiti shooters - who also volunteers. But the “refugee team” has again an athlete (runner Rose Lokonien).
In Korea, a previously unknown, special neutral team will debut - Olympic athletes from Russia. And, one must think, the IOC spent many sleepless nights, deciding what to do with it at the opening ceremony. More precisely - to whom to entrust her flag at the opening ceremony.
Most important. Olympic flag!
SLEEP MOK
The choice was only from two positions - volunteer / athlete. They preferred a volunteer. The first vice-president of the ROC Stanislav Pozdnyakov announced such a decision. We did not hear the details.
However ... Do you need them?
We have already performed under the Olympic flag. When the CIS team arrived in Barcelona and Albertville in 1992. Then there was a different situation. The USSR collapsed, and the delegation of athletes has so far decided not to divide. Everyone understood what kind of team it was. Whom it represents. As it is now. With one exception - we ourselves made the decision to change the flag. Not an IOC.
At the Summer Games, the banner was carried by the wrestler Alexander Karelin. In winter - biathlete Valery Medvedtsev.
And now?
Half of the fans in the country did not understand why we, in principle, went to Korea? After everything that's happened? Biathletes have already refused to participate in the opening ceremony. And they are unlikely to be alone in such a decision. There are a number of reasons why the boycott should have been abandoned. Boycott of the entire Olympics. But competition is one thing. And the ceremony?
It is not important to us now. Our flag was taken away from us. They took our symbols. We can't even write just "Russia" - without the addition "Olympic athletes from". In such a situation, who would like to become the standard-bearer of the "faceless" team? To carry your native tricolor at the Opening ceremony is a great pride! And carry the IOC flag, which eloquently showed with what contempt and how prejudiced he treats your team ...
Shame is not shame. But something very close.
The IOC understood this. Played ahead of the curve. Again - to save face. Like, we ourselves decided - a volunteer will carry the flag! Not that you yourself refused to carry it ...
Interestingly, in the context of the whole situation - do you really care that everything turned out that way?
The beginning of the Olympic Games was laid in southern Greece in the city of Olympia. The original game program included running one stage. Further, the program began to be supplemented with new types of competitions: running in two stages, 24, with weapons. Then pentathlon, chariot racing, fistfighting and wrestling were added.
The award for the winner was an olive branch, and the residents of the city, of which the champion was, presented him with gifts, provided a place in the theater for free, and exempted him from taxes.
These traditions of the Olympic Games have been maintained for eleven centuries. After that, a change in the content and nature of the competition began to be traced.
The Olympic Games of antiquity have ceased to exist. This happened due to a change in worldview and the dominant religion.
Banner at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games
What role does it play? The opening of the Olympic Games begins with the raising of the Olympic flag on the flagpole of the stadium without a gold border. The banner is made by the country that hosts the competition on its territory. At the time of closing, the host country transfers the Olympic flag to the host country in four years. But he already has a gold border.
Other game symbols
The Olympic flame, as one of the most significant and important symbols of the competitions in question, is lit from a parabolic mirror in Greece. Then, from one athlete to another athlete, the fire is transmitted and swept across all five continents. On the opening day of the Olympics, the torch is passed to the venue, which symbolizes the beginning of the games.
The host country chooses the mascot of the Olympics at its own discretion. It has always been that way. Usually some animal acts as a talisman. Where did this symbol come from? The mascot received its birth not so long ago - in 1968. And in 1972 in Munich, the Waldi dachshund was recognized as the first official mascot.
The motto of the Olympiad is the Latin words - "Citius, Altius, Fortius" ("Faster, higher, stronger").
Gold, silver and bronze are awarded to the athletes who won the competition. If it is a team sport, then each member of the team gets medals. The organizers of the competitions themselves develop their own unique design of the awards.
The hymn of the Olympic Games (played during their opening and closing) was written by a Greek composer. It has also been heard by many sports fans and devotees. healthy way life.
The Oath of the Olympics was written by Pierre Coubertin. Later it was slightly changed.
The olive branch signifies a symbol of calm and truce, and the Olympic salute warns of the closure of the competition.
Competition emblems symbolize different kinds competitions. For example, a skier personifies ski views sports.
Why Competition Symbols are Needed
Traditions expressed in symbols help to feel the importance and significance of the Olympics, the unity of all countries. This means - and all five continents.
The Olympic Games that are currently taking place are steeped in symbols and traditions. During these events, many viewers closely follow the spectacular spectacle, the success of the athletes or teams they root for. However, even at the end of the 19th century, there were much fewer Olympic attributes. Now the number of various symbols is only increasing. Their main goal is to promote the Olympic Games.
In addition to the main one, there is another version of creating such a large amount of symbols - this is a source of income for the organizing committee. Therefore, the number of products sold with the symbols of the Olympic Games is only increasing. Now we know what the Olympic flag and other competition symbols look like.
Team Russia - about greatest fighter of all times and the only three-time standard-bearer in the history of Russian sports.
Alexander Karelin carried the flag at the opening ceremonies of three Olympic Games in a row - no one else was awarded such an honor. Each time he had a new banner in his hands: in Seoul-1998 - the USSR, in Barcelona-1992 - the Olympic one (our athletes went to the Games as part of the united CIS team), in Atlanta-1996 - the Russian one. Of course, every time Karelin took gold medals.
On the eve of Sochi-2014, Karelin, already a State Duma deputy, will say: “There are only two criteria for choosing a standard-bearer. First - the athlete should already have the title Olympic winner... Second, the athlete must have great potential to become a gold medalist again. " But the first promotion to the standard-bearer of Karelin himself, in 1988, seemed unexpected and controversial. Karelin then - USSR champion among youths and champion youth championship world, but not yet a triumphant and not the king of Soviet martial arts. Igor Rostorotsky was more likely to be considered such. A year before Seoul, he even defeated Karelin in the USSR championship (this is his first and last defeat by admission). In January 1988, in Tbilisi, Karelin (despite a concussion) defeated Rostorotsky. The coaches and functionaries of the wrestling federation urged Karelin to give way to Rostorotsky: “You are only nineteen, wait. Let Igor fight. Finish - take his place. " Karelin did not wait and a month and a half before the Olympics, in the decisive battle in Romania, he again surpassed Rostorotsky. And he was so happy that "for the first time in his life he threw up his hands and performed something like a dance."
The candidacy of Karelin-standard-bearer was defended by the coach of the national team Gennady Sapunov and captain Mikhail Mamiashvili. The chairman of the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sports, Marat Gramov, seriously doubted the 20-year-old Karelin - he had to insist and convince.
In secret, they whispered to me that when discussing this issue, the dispute was terrible, '' Karelin later said. - There is a tradition, at least for our team: the standard-bearer must win gold, so the team needed a “one hundred percent” candidate. And Mamiashvili confidently said: "This guy will win!"
When Sasha entered the decisive qualifying round with Rastorotsky, few knew that his hand was seriously injured - a bone was cracked, - Mamiashvili said. - I saw how he fought. And I realized: if you need to die on the carpet to win in Seoul, Karelin will die, but not lose.
Karelin did not need to die, but he had to tinker with the shoes. Those wrestling shoes - the first in Alexander's life - were given to him from a Bulgarian athlete, in exchange for tights. But the coach Viktor Kuznetsov prohibited Karelin from entering them at the Olympics - because of the logo of a Japanese company. In some places, Karelin cut off four stripes of the logo, in others - he hung it up and pasted it with a plaster. In these shoes (“I’m not fighting in socks!”) Karelin reached the final, where he was inferior in points to the Bulgarian Rangel Gerovski 15 seconds before the end. And still won.
Like another legend of Soviet wrestling, Nikolai Balboshin, Karelin carried the banner in one hand - his right, stretched out in front of him. Karelin did not refuse this in Atlanta-1996, where he went shortly after severe injury... Already one pass with the banner had a psychological effect on the opponents, Karelin is sure.
I don’t remember that I was ever worried before the opening ceremony. He suffered more from the heat, - Karelin admitted. - All three times it was stuffy. Plus, the national teams of the participating countries must gather at the stadium two or three hours before the start of the parade and "cook" there. But when you appear in the arena and know that the whole world is looking at you without exaggeration, you forget about all the sorrows.
Karelin was confused only by the Olympic flag - but in 1992 in Barcelona he carried it with pride. In the same way, according to Karelin, should behave Russian athletes this Friday in Pyeongchang.
On Karelin, the main flag-bearing tradition of Russia was interrupted. Since 1952, the country's flag was trusted only by the most powerful athletes - heroes who pulled the most heavy weights and pounding the rest of the world. Karelin was the last. In Sydney, for the first time, the Russian flag was in the hands of the "game player", handball player Andrei Lavrov. In order not to fall out of shape, the wrestlers arrived in Australia only in the 20th of September - a week after the opening. Karelin saw the flag in the hands of Lavrov on TV.
In Sydney, Karelin reached the final, but there for the first time in his career he lost to a foreigner - American Roll Gardner. After such a defeat, Alexander could not stay in sports and ended his career. “Gold goes to the strongest, but I didn't have enough emotions in Sydney,” Karelin admits. - Apparently, he calmed down early. I decided early on that I was already four times. ”
Used quotes from the materials "Sport-Express", Sports.ru and "Soviet Sport".