Duma Deputy had a hysterical reaction to the actions of Lithuanian swimmers.

Duma Deputy and Olympic champion Svitlana Zhurova reacted categorically to the refusal of Lithuanian athletes to stand on the podium with Russian colleagues. She believes that such actions are a manifestation of Russophobia and aimed at preventing Russians from participating in sports competitions.

«This is ongoing Russophobia. ... They are deliberately showing, saying, don’t even think about letting Russians in, just look at how this will end,» Zhurova commented.

A Ukrainian figure skater, who participated in the Olympics under a neutral flag due to sanctions against Russian athletes, faced backlash for carefully liking posts on social media that support Russian aggression. This caused outrage, as athletes should support peace and sporting values.

The refusal of Lithuanian swimmers to participate in the award ceremony together with Russian colleagues once again highlighted the tense relations between the countries and the complexity of the political situation at this stage.