Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Wrestling Federation Head Says Silver Medals 'Destiny of Nobodies'

The head of the Russian Wrestling Federation, Mikhail Mamiashvili, described the silver medals won by Natalia Vorobyova and Valeria Koblova-Zholobova at the Olympics in Rio as the “destiny of nobodies," the Meduza news agency reported Thursday. 

Russian sportspeople should win gold medals, according to Mamiashvili. He said he would not congratulate the two female wrestlers because both had shown a "lack of will to fight for their country." He also said that there would be "no forgiveness for them."

Natalia Vorobyova won a silver medal on Wednesday in women’s freestyle wrestling in the up to 69 kilograms weight category, while Valeria Koblova-Zholobova took silver in the up to 58 kilograms category.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

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 every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more