Winter Olympics 2022 - Elena Nikitina claims there is a 'war' in Russia Olympic Committee's skeleton camp

ByEurosport

Published 12/02/2022 at 11:15 GMT

Russian skeleton rider Elena Nikitina, who won bronze at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, is part of six-person skeleton team in Beijing that includes three women and three men. She claims there is a "war" in their camp. Nikitina has five European Championship gold medals to her name, but has had a disappointing Winter Olympics personally so far.

Russia's Elena Nikitina takes part in the women's skeleton training at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Yanqing on February 8, 2022

Image credit: Getty Images

Russian skeleton rider Elena Nikitina says there is a "war" in the ROC's camp and that she will reveal all when her Winter Olympics is over.

Nikitina wrote on her Instagram story: "In our house there is a war! A war between our people that we have been able to hide for a long time.

"That is the most terrible thing there is. The worst thing that can happen to any athlete. I love my life so much and will never be part of this filth."

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The 29-year-old finished her post by saying: "I'll finish the competition, then I'll tell you everything!"

It has not been going too well for Nikitina after two runs in skeleton, finishing 18th after two heats. She says she is racing just for herself on Saturday.

"Friends, thank you all for your support. As you can see, no miracle happened, mentally I was already devastated in the middle of the season. Unfortunately, I'm not a robot...

"Tomorrow I'll contest two races just for myself, I won't try to prove anything to anyone."

She added: "One more thing! Run away from people who hope you'll make mistakes. From people who tell you a hundred times that you can't do it. And run away from people who treat you like s***."

The ROC's international relations chief Elena Anikina denies there is any trouble in the skeleton camp and that Nikitina is mostly just frustrated about her own results.

"For me, this post is a surprise," she told Sport-Express.

"There is no war. I think it's just nerves and disappointment with their own results."

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