The State Duma linked the expulsion of the Russian athlete from Croatia with politics

The expulsion of Russian Greco-Roman wrestler Emin Sefershaev from Croatia, allegedly due to visa problems, may be related to politics and unfair competition. This was stated by State Duma deputy Svetlana Zhurova on Wednesday, September 17.

She admitted that it was an attempt to bring some kind of destruction to the team.

"It is clear that in any country where there is a visa regime, they can make some claims, but it looks very strange. Previously, when something like this happened, our athletes went to the courts and won them. But now the courts are unlikely to be on our side," the politician said in a conversation with Lenta.Ru .

According to Zhurova, attempts to restrict athletes' access to international competitions under the pretext of visa problems had been made before, before Russia's suspension from world sports. But then the courts sided with the athletes and recognized the facts of unfair competition, she added.

"But it is clear that it was about politics, unfair competition. Even the International Federation intervened in the situation and tried to defend Sefershayev, stood up for him," the parliamentarian concluded.

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Earlier that day, it became known that Sefershayev had left Croatia due to the threat of deportation, RT reports. According to the team, the athlete expected internment, but this did not happen. To prevent deportation, the president of the United World of Wrestling, Nenad Lalovic, intervened in the situation, who, together with the president of the Croatian Wrestling Federation, Vladimir Bregovic, arrived at the police station. An agreement was reached that Sefershayev would be handed over to the Serbian side, and he was taken to the border with Serbia, paying for transportation in €232, IA Regnum reports.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on the situation with the expulsion of Russian Greco-Roman wrestler Emin Sefershayev from the World Wrestling Championships in Croatia, calling what is happening Nazism, according to the website. kp.ru .

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