Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Basketball Star to Get New Olympic Medal

Moscow guard Vitaly Fridzon told R-Sport on Wednesday he is to receive a new London 2012 Olympic bronze medal to replace one stolen from the Russian basketball star last summer.

Fridzon's Moscow suburbs house was burgled just two weeks after the national men's team won its first-ever Olympic basketball medal, beating Argentina in the bronze-medal game on Aug. 12.

Nearly 15 months on, with all hope of recovering the original medal abandoned, the 28-year-old will be presented with a replacement ahead of Friday's Euroleague game against Fenerbahce.

"Now I watch the game, photos and see the medal on my chest, but in fact I do not have it and cannot show it to anyone," Fridzon told R-Sport. "It is good that there are good people and my team, because without CSKA nothing would have worked out."

Fridzon added he would be more careful this time and probably keep the medal in a safe or even in a bank deposit box.

Six-time Euroleague champion CSKA has footed the $630 bill for the new medal, which will bear the word "replica" to indicate the first one was lost.

Fridzon was key to Russia's success in London, averaging 11.5 points over eight games to trail only Brooklyn Nets forward Andrei Kirilenko, who posted 17.5, in the scoring stakes.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more