The President of the Handball Federation of Russia expressed his opinion regarding the importance of the absence of the Russian national team at the Olympics in Paris.
Sergey Shishkarev told TASS that he wouldn’t consider the winner of the women’s Olympic tournament as a full-flegded in the absence of the Russian team.
— It’s a pity, that they are afraid of us and we are not allowed. I’ve already mentioned, that, probably, it’s more convenient for the Norwegians and the French to play out the final with the Danish and the Dutch among themselves, than to see us. But, of course, it is definitely impossible to regard the winner of the future Olympics as a full-fledged in the absence of our girls, — Shishkarev said.
The Olympic Games will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11.
Shishkarev also stressed that the Russian national team could have fought for the highest places:
— I have repeatedly said, that, from my point of view, the national team of Russia, that could have and had to play at the Olympics, at least could have fought for the finals. Because the main backbone of the national team, that lost the final match in Tokyo, is at the peak of its strength. I mean Darya Dmitriyeva, Anna Vyakhireva, Valeria Maslova, who gained momentum, our girls Nastya Illarionova, Valeria Kirdyasheva, — Sergey Shishkarev said.
Photo: the HFR press
