Finishing line of the countdown to the beginning of February 4 Winter Olympics in China. The opening will be broadcast live on the Russia 1 TV channel. And in general, this will be the most televised Olympics, because if you want to visit China as a fan, then upon arrival you have to sit out a three-week quarantine. Away from sin even before departure, the athletes were placed in what is called a “bubble” – in a clean zone. Accordingly, strictly according to the video past and traditional communication with athletes, the head of state Vladimir Putin. But the main thing is that the guys are going to the Olympics. Let’s remember how their president admonished them.

“There is a high probability, of course, that the obligation for Olympic gold will be even more spectacular, sharp and tense. But, as you know, in Russia, chances are not afraid of performances at the XXIV Olympic Winter Games. Good luck,” Vladimir Putin said.

Putin himself is gathering in Beijing, in contrast to the leaders who have declared a boycott of the Olympics in China. And this is instead of revealing a good spirit against the backdrop of such European problems. “News on Saturday” answered the head of the Russian Olympic Committee (and the most numerous Olympic champion) Stanislav Pozdnyakov about the meeting where other Games were held, they boycotted it – in Moscow in 1980.

– Hello, Stanislav Alekseevich. How big are you! Are you a four-time Olympic champion?

– Quite right.

– Daughter?

– My daughter is two-time.

– Six medals for one family?

– Let it be for now. I lead in this absentee rivalry. We are fencers.

– The Winter Olympics will take place soon, how many medals are expected?

– We assume that our athletes will massively win up to 30 Olympic medals.

– I want to pay attention to your form. She wears the Russian tricolor. And during the game, under what flag will they be – under the Olympic or under protection?

– Absolutely the whole team looks exactly the way I look today.

Will there be a Russian flag?

– Yes, the flag will be on hand.

The flag will be raised for the time being to Tchaikovsky’s Concert No. 1. And the flag will not be the Russian tricolor of the Russian Olympic Committee. But, as we understand, the tricolor will grow. And about the most important thing now.

– I was vaccinated, revaccinated in America, and before meeting you, I passed a PCR test, and just for myself, so that I can send you calmly, so as not to investigate the danger for you.

– Thanks a lot.

– What’s in the game?

– The first race of our athletes and detachments of the detachment was successful. All passed the first test. I want to say that the measures taken by the Organizing Committee (strict rules, frequent testing) are primarily justified by the fact that the Games cannot take place without our athletes. And without athletes from other countries. It is very important.

– I heard about some cases something now out of the corner of my ear. Did you get sick at home and did not go to China, or did you already catch it there?

– We have cases when people in their homeland fell ill. They were removed from the flight. But the opportunity to fly, so, before the last flight that we have, they happened.

– If this whole cycle passes?

– Yes, there will be four, and for those who are already ill, up to five PCR tests in a row. Therefore, we do not remove anyone, as they say, with a mileage and a deadline, to do everything possible so that the athletes rise. The Committee softens some of the rules, making them more flexible. It is exclusively about the athletes to give them the opportunity to start.

– But, those who are there now, in such a “bubble”, are they protected from, isolated from everything, is everything normal there?

– Yes, everything is fine there.

Along the alley of sports glory in Luzhniki, we turn, where conversations return, to the monument to Kharlamov – legend No. 17 of that team, which consists of hockey players playing here. But, in fact, this time the hockey players playing NHL in North America will not. So it’s important to be.

– I watched the matches of the previous games of the Games in Pyeongchang, when our team won. I just was the chief of the mission at the technical Games, so, of course, for me the forecast was generally natural, when at the last minute, playing in the minority, I managed to level the score and get closer to overtime. Therefore, regardless of the level and number of star players, of course, hockey matches are one of the most memorable at all the Winter Olympic Games.

– What, besides hockey – skiing, biathlon, figure skating – in terms of hope for medals?

– Of course, figure skating is a sport for us. We will all cheer for our wonderful skaters as one. In skiing, there are a huge number of awards that our athletes deserved at the last Games. We really want these awards – silver and bronze – to turn into gold. Of course, freestyle athletes, who have proven themselves very well between the World Championship Games, are of great interest to us.

How they do it is completely incomprehensible! Look at it, just don’t look away.

“It’s a fantastic sport, of course. It’s not even a sport, it’s several sports in one discipline. Somewhere even scary to look at them.

– Fearfully.

– Nevertheless, you admire the skill of our athletes. And our young, but very experienced, team of snowboarders who have won titles that have passed the World Championship, is no longer beyond their years, gives us reason to hope too.

– Let’s summarize. Ice hockey, figure skating, skiing, biathlon, freestyle…

– Snowboard. And we should not be carried over to speed skating and short track. Our athletes are also successful in these disciplines.

Is there hope almost everywhere?

– I think that our athletes have collected up to a third of all awards. The current composition of the team, by assumption, if everyone arrives and everyone takes part, will certainly be taken from the most successful in recent years.

– I still want to go back to covid. How to be more careful? .. Provocations are possible to say? Throw, for example, a positive test …

– The Organizing Committee makes every effort to accept random or false positive tests. We already have experience when staff members have tested positively. This is followed by a mandatory re-testing procedure. And if this test gives a positive result, then the person was considered positively tested. In order to carry out false positive tests, tests will be taken in any case in Europe.

– It is possible to replay.

– Yes, we already had a positive case, after which a negative one, and the person considers the performance of duties absolutely free.

– Have a good flight and – most importantly – achievements among athletes.

– Thanks a lot.

So, before the start of the XXIV Winter Olympics in Beijing, there is already less than the amount left. Watch the live broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Games on the Russia 1 TV channel on February 4.