PERVOMAYSKY VILLAGE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th August, 2021) The deprivation of the flag and anthem does not affect the performance of Russian athletes, which proves that any attempts to politicize sports are pointless, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"This does not affect the quality of the performance of our athletes. And I think that they, our athletes, by their performances show just the best way to prove that all attempts to politicize sport are insignificant, pointless, and even harmful, they have no sense at all," Putin said at a meeting with workers and builders plant for the dry cement mixes Cemix of the Austrian group of companies Lasselsberger.
"We are talking about the absence of the Russian flag. Yes, it would be better [with it]. But there is a badge of the Russian Olympic Committee with the Russian tricolor on the uniforms of our athletes. So what? Do they like Tchaikovsky's music more than Aleksandrov's music? Well, I don't know, let them listen to Tchaikovsky's music," he added.
