Alexander Litvinenko was outraged by the participation of Russian athletes in the Paralympic Games in Paris.
Ukrainian track and field athlete After winning bronze in the long jump at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, Alexander Litvinenko criticized the admission of Russian athletes to the competition.
Litvinenko emphasized that in fact, athletes from the aggressor state are by no means “neutral” and, after returning to the Russian Federation, will continue to support the war of conquest that their country is waging against Ukraine.
The Ukrainian also added that he lost to a “misunderstanding”, referring to Russian Evgeny Torsunov, who was given the gold award.
“I spent February-March in the basement, I didn't sleep well, I couldn't train. And they, the “neutral” Russians, trained calmly, had fun, smiled. None of them are “neutral”, they will all come home and support the war, take pictures with the “heroes of the SVO”, deputies – those who are killing us.
I am very pleased, this is my first medal. I am 34 years old, my second Paralympics, maybe my last. So this medal is important to me. But my soul is a little sore because I lost to this misunderstanding. Because of this, I am offended, not by anyone, but by myself.
This is the most important, the hardest medal in my life. But I would give it up without a second thought to see my missing friend again,” Litvinenko said in a commentary for Suspilne Sport.
For Litvinenko, this is his debut medal in the Paralympics. He is also a bronze medalist at the 2019 and 2023 World Long Jump Championships.
After the fifth competition day of the 2024 Paralympics, the Ukrainian team is in tenth place in the medal standings, with 35 awards to its credit – 5 gold, 12 silver and 18 bronze. In terms of the number of medals won, our team is in fifth place.
The Paralympic Games in Paris will last until September 8. Ukraine is represented by 140 athletes competing in 17 sports. This is a record number of sports in the Paralympic history of Ukraine.
