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Support on white Olympic flag for Russian team

By Natalia Kobets

29 December 2017

Russian athletes will perform at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea under a white flag, following controversial IOC ruling.

Many believe that agreeing to perform under a white flag following the ban linked to the ‘doping scandal’ means betraying the Motherland

This is not fair, says a groundswell in Krasnoyarsk as people sent white flags with written words of support.

Krasnoyarsk is a prominent winter sports city, known around Russia and worldwide for its strong traditions of biathlon, ski-ing and snowboarding.

Champions of several winter Olympic games live and train here.

They feel sympathy towards fellow sportsmen set to perform at the next games.

They also believe that sport should go above politics, and that Russian athletes must go to South Korea - and win.

Not everyone in Russia shares this opinion; many believe that agreeing to perform under a white flag following the ban linked to the ‘doping scandal’ means betraying the Motherland.

This is why Krasnoyarsk sportsmen united with large retail network Komandor, and called for everyone in the city to support them in signing white flags, with hundreds of citizens responding.

Support on white Olympic flag for Russian team

Support on white Olympic flag for Russian team
Russian athletes will perform at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea under a white flag, following controversial IOC ruling

‘We love you’, ‘We believe in you!’, ‘Forward only!’, ‘Waiting back home for victory’ were the messages that people left on several flags.

Professional sportsmen from Yenisei ice hockey club, current leaders of the Russian championship, signed flags alongside players from another prominent hockey club - Sokol.

Men’s volleyball club Yenisei, a member of Russian Super League, came to express their support together with members of the prize-winning women’s volleyball club under the same name.

Other sportsmen who raised voices for the Russian Olympic team were Rassvet Sport School of Olympic Reserve, ‘I am a champion’ Children School Academy, and the Cheerleading Federation of Krasnoyarsk region.

‘We love you’, ‘We believe in you!’, ‘Forward only!’, ‘Waiting back home for victory’ were the messages that people left on several flags

The action of support continues online.

Anyone who wishes to express support to members of Russian Olympic team going to South Korea and performing under a white flag, can post them online with hashtags in Russian #забелый (for white colour) #белымнеиспугаешь (we are not scared of white), #олимпиада2018 (Olympic2018) - these messages will be copied on to flags, and sent to the team.

This story has been created with help of Komandor retail network.

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South Korea can be very proud of their games...which have produced really great sporting moments & personalities. The Russians sports men & women whom I have watched so far have done their country proud & have shown great sportsmanship. This has been one of the better Winter Olympics because the Koreans have shown great determination to put on a great spectacle of fairness.It's only half way to the end of his games & I'm looking forward to the rest of same & say to all the worlds sports men & women, well done to you all & take a bow.

PS. As regards any sports competitions there has to be rules for those who participate & so it's down to each individual to keep to the spirit of the rules and not try to win in an untoward manner. I don't understand all that went on in Sochi but there were (lets say) rules broken by many athletes. So let's just leave it at that...it's in the past...come present & future let the medals be won on merit & merit alone.

Jaker, Dundalk

16/02/2018 10:56

Thank you to everyone sharing your opinions regarding the Olympics. Since the Olympics is the Olympics be it Winter or Summer, what do people think about the US gymnastics "industry" (just to try to call it something) putting gold medals above holding a sexual predator accountable? I also would like to hopefully make it clear that my question/comment applies to abuse of every type against people of every demographic and gender.

Pamela K Tetarenko, League City, USA

26/01/2018 23:48

Enrique - It is also against the spirit of the Olympic Games to cheat. If a country is shown to be engaged in organized and systematic cheating, then it should be banned until it shows that it understands that this is unacceptable behaviour. Individuals may cheat, but if this is just specific to the individual then just the individual should be banned, and not the country they represent.

Ian, Calgary, Canada

17/01/2018 09:19

Thank you Walter for mentioning the BRICS (Brasil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries. When I visited Russia this past September there was discussion of the importance of these relationships. What do you think may be the attempted actions taken to undermine the World Cup being hosted in Russia? I get very tired of the anti-Russia routine in the US (and elsewhere). It has been a very old routine all through the Cold War. Growing up in Canada and having Russian roots (Babkin & Titarenko), it seemed like all someone had to do was say, "we don't like Russia" and the US would fund them even if they were worse than those who came before them. Sorry, that is my "30 seconds" of personal frustration expression. All the best to everyone participating in South Korea and I hope South Korea can set a positive, International fellowship tone.

Pamela K Tetarenko, League City, USA

14/01/2018 20:35

The Empire is doing everything that they can to undermine the BRICS countries. Next attack is World Cup. Shameful

Walter , Kamloops Canada

14/01/2018 07:36

I certainly agree that people can choose to disagree with comments but I appreciate most when people explain why they disagree. To the people who disagree with Enrique and I, what is your opinion?

Pamela K Tetarenko, League City, USA

11/01/2018 19:49

It is against the spirit of the Olympic Games banning any country from taking part as they were created so nations and peoples from all the World could be together regardless of their ideology, ethnicity or economy.

Enrique, Spain

10/01/2018 03:39

I struggle with the credibility of the Olympics and have for many years now. In 1988, I was very fortunate to be able to volunteer at the Calgary Winter Olympics. A highlight was meeting Vladislav Tretiak who was retired from hockey at that point and there with the Russian press. Also, Eddie-the-Eagle and the Jamaican Bobsled team. I wish everyone well and respect everyone's capabilities and hard work certainly. I hope that the Olympics will be taken back off the "pro-circuit" as well as "political circuit" and become a non-political, amateur athlete, International event again.

Pamela K Tetarenko, League City, USA

05/01/2018 23:40