“Trying to expedite the process of ending a career”

“How would you rate what happened this morning?”

- I do not have an assessment of what happened. At ten to six in the morning to come and put forward some unfounded guesses ... Check, for God's sake, right up to the wheels of the bag, but no problem. But to seize a computer and a phone in 2020 - this I do not understand. You can watch and check, but right now I can’t get in touch with my family, relatives, or relatives.

- You tried to find out what were the reasons for this?

- What are the reasons? It is already known that this is a story with the accreditation of others that Alexander Kasperovich had. IBU began to suspect that he was hiding under someone else's name, supposedly he came to me, after that I run. These are such unfounded assumptions, I just have no words.

- Is it true that you wanted to refuse to participate in the relay?

“I was not going to refuse her.” I have nothing to be ashamed of, I did nothing, I did not use anything. Even such thoughts were not, I just have contempt for this. In 2020, when accusations come from all sides, even thinking about it is disgusting.

- How important was the presence of Kasperovich at this World Cup?

- Kasperovich and I have been talking for a very long time, we have good contact in the training process. He closes some organizational issues. He helped at the training camp in Ridnau in preparation. Here he wanted to support me 100% on the track. Therefore, he did not take his accreditation for the race.

“Do you blame him for what happened?”

- What is it to blame? The allegations are unfounded in any case. They built such a chain, as if in 2020 I was trying to deceive, and Kasperovich supposedly also covers. He lives in the next room with his wife and granddaughter.

- Aren't you afraid that this will happen until the end of your career?

- Now I'm not surprised at anything. Apparently, they are really trying to speed up the process of completing a career. If this is better for everyone, then soon it will be necessary to somehow do it.

- Are you seriously?

- I'm not getting younger. Maybe someone will really be comfortable with this. The IBU apparently really wants to. I don't care. Let them check, I never hid, here, without problems, I stand next. Let them search, even though they live next to me every day. Only here the phone is a sore subject. I can’t talk with my family, nor with anyone. I need to fill out ADAMS to indicate my location, but I can’t. I can’t buy tickets, now everything is connected with phones.

“They didn’t say when your things will be returned?”

- I dont know. A rather difficult dialogue took place between us. Moreover, the translator did not speak Russian as well as we would like.

- For three months, personal belongings have not been returned to athletes from Kazakhstan ...

“I don't know anything already.”

- Do you know the details of the history of Kasperovich’s accreditation?

- Yes, I know that he has Ukrainian accreditation. Of course, this is very disappointing, in any case there will be some fines. Of course, I don’t support all this, but from what it finally came to, I, frankly, just in shock.

- Can you tune in to the next race in such conditions?

“I haven't thought about her yet.”

- Did troubles somehow affect your today's performance?

- No matter what they try to do, I can say that this will not affect my form, my performances, or my results. It will only affect the fact that my wife will experience even more. And for me, and for myself. This is what upsets me the most.

“Are there any other ways to contact her?”

“I haven’t talked to her today.” It is clear that now I will ask someone for a phone to call her. Maybe I'll see her a little earlier this time. I understand that now I should be next to her.

- The IBU believes that the Match TV channel is conducting Russian propaganda. Do you agree with that?

- “Match TV” came, covered events, but, in my opinion, they are doing everything right.

  • Alexander Loginov and Evgeny Garanichev
  • RIA News
  • © Alexander Wilf

“Garanichev and I broke in at ten to six in the morning”

- Have you seen what exactly was written in the letter from IBU?

“I know that they wrote a letter and sent it to the local police.” I can’t imagine who exactly is fanning this whole story, but, probably, they do it for a reason. Today Garanichev and I broke in at ten to six in the morning. I sit in my underpants, and the police take my trunk and the trunk of Garanichev and for some reason carry it away. The opener knife was also removed away. At first I did not understand what was the matter, and then I guessed that they were apparently afraid. They came to the "criminals".

- Do you think that all these problems could have been avoided if the SBR had simply accredited Kasperovich?

- I do not want to get into it, not my concern. In addition, I did not receive a full letter from IBU. There was no translator as such. I only know that there were suspicions that Kasperovich came with someone else's accreditation.

- Did the problems really concern Kasperovich’s wife and granddaughter?

- Yes, during searches they were forbidden to leave the room. The girl was crying.

- Recently, you invited everyone to stay with you to make sure that you do not use doping. Did someone respond to the offer?

- No, no one responded. But I will definitely talk to the athletes, this is my initiative. I am not against dialogue, and I hope they will support me.

- The chairman of the IBU Athletes Commission, Claire Egan, also said that she was ready to talk with you if necessary.

- Yes, I’ll talk to her with pleasure.