Beijing Olympic relay champion Veronika Stepanova, who became the leader of the national team in the absence of Natalya Terentyeva, accidentally or perhaps intentionally caused a small “scandal” in cross-country skiing.
The athlete, who was invited to commentate on the Russian Cup stage in Tyumen in early February, criticized Alexander Bolshunov live.
According to the girl, he wins very boringly.
Let us remind you that this season San Sanych won all the individual competitions in which he took part - 21 races.
He failed to create a miracle only in the relay race at the Spartakiad, when he entered the last stage for the Arkhangelsk region with a delay of more than three minutes.
“What Bolshunov?
He doesn’t want to win like I do - beautiful!
He walks in a group, doesn’t even take any initiative, just goes with the flow.
Where's the drive?
Where are the statements before the start: “I’m about to win another race.”
Before the start, I said that I would win against everyone, and that’s what happened.
Next time try to beat me at the mass start, at the skiathlon.
We'll see you again, the Spartakiad is a long one.
And here Bolshunov says: “Well, the weather is good, it’s beautiful, the skis were going well,” - this is boring!
It's boring, Sasha!
- said Stepanova.
The words of the Olympic champion caused indignation among the fans watching the broadcast and experts.
However, the discussion unfolded with renewed vigor after Bolshunov himself was asked for his opinion on Veronica’s comment last weekend.
“After that, many people wrote to me and apologized for her words.
People wondered how it was possible to call a person into the commentary room who behaves impolitely.
There were a lot of apologies for her work.
So much so that I began to wonder - what did she say, reconsider, or what?
But I thought, I shouldn’t waste my emotions on a person who is completely uninteresting to me.
Well, it happened and passed me by.
I understand that there are athletes who are ready to enter the name Bolshunov at any opportunity.
For God’s sake, this doesn’t bother me at all,” Alexander noted in an interview with the Championship.
And the skier’s coach, Yuri Borodavko, saw jealousy in the athlete’s words, since she herself couldn’t win like that.
“He’s trying to put himself on a par with Bolshunov, but you can’t compare them.
We must strive for Alexander; we haven’t had victories like his for a long time.
And we all know Veronica as a proud athlete who worries about her failures.
I don’t know whether such reactions affect Alexander, it’s better to ask him.
But in any case, he is a living person,” RIA Novosti quotes Borodavko as saying.
Of course, Stepanova could not remain silent after such words from her colleagues.
Moreover, most likely, this is exactly what she has been trying to achieve for a long time, talking in her columns about trash talk in MMA and provoking her rivals to be harsh at the Spartakiad.
“The fact that Bolshunov does not understand the meaning of the words “irony” and “sarcasm” is his joy.
For reference: I don’t really care who thinks about me or what, until I asked myself.
This is what helps me win.
But on the other hand, it’s wonderful, just ideal, when two leaders of the National Cup speak about each other like that.
More fuel for the fire of opinions, down with boredom!” the athlete wrote.
The girl and Wart answered.
According to Stepanova, she is really proud, but she never worries about failures.
“What and how can this help?”
— the skier summarized.
A little later, Veronica tried to soften the situation.
According to the athlete, she and Bolshunov should compete not in comments, but in who will attract more people to the ski track.
“He has a whole race named after him, well done.
We are completely different and, as they say, we cannot baptize children - but each of us works in our own way to attract attention to skiing.
Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools compete!” Veronica wrote.
Stepanova’s mentor Yegor Sorin, in turn, also tried to quickly put out the flaring fire.
“So far, the squabble between Veronica and Alexander has no effect on the atmosphere in the team.
However, of course, it is unpleasant to read such things in the media.
We will try to smooth out all the negative aspects as much as possible.
I didn’t talk about this with Veronica, or with Yuri Viktorovich [Borodavko], or with Alexander himself.
I hope all this remains only in the press.
But I wouldn’t want there to be negative sentiments within the national team, for this to continue and because of this, the atmosphere is disrupted,” Sport24 quotes Sorin as saying.
The head of the FLGR, Elena Vyalbe, spoke in the same vein.
“If you fan the flames over such nonsense, it will be a disaster, and we will stop even talking to each other,” the specialist said.
However, many turned out to be on Stepanova’s side.
Thus, commentator Dmitry Guberniev praised Veronica for doing the show.
“She’s a troublemaker, an attention grabber.
Bolshunov has a different philosophy.
Sasha is great and more modest, brought up differently and, by the way, a little older than Stepanova.
I can only say one thing to Bolshunov: “Sasha, burn!”
Now is the time to express yourself constantly.
This applies to both Stepanova and Bolshunov.
Show must go on.
Nika realized this a long time ago, she provokes.
You know, as Freken Bock said to her sister Frieda: “Life is so short, and you are not serious enough.”
I would like to sincerely advise Bolshunov to re-read “Carlson” and begin to degrade a little, talk and play the fool, which Stepanova sometimes does with success during the break between her brilliant victories,” Guberniev said.
Young Savely Korostelev also saw nothing wrong with the “black” hype.
However, he himself is not yet ready for such provocations.
“Veronica, as she herself says, is trying to stir up the media field.
A media swamp, as she puts it.
Will I do this?
We need to beat Bolshunov first.
And then throw it in,” the skier admitted.
At the same time, Stepanova’s rivals at the Spartakiad were clearly offended by her behavior.
But it seems that this is exactly what the Olympic champion needs.
“Nastya Kuleshova doesn’t like my gestures, Olesya Lyashenko promises to catch up and overtake me (but within two years).
There is, there is something to write and swear about in toxic chats!
Have I finally managed to stir up this sleeping swamp where “all girls are girls like that”?
Anastasia’s suggestion: overtake me more often, you’ll be forced to watch less gestures at the finish line.
It’s simple,” Stepanova wrote on her Telegram channel.