The Tokyo Olympics was the first large-scale competition since the COVID-19 pandemic. What are your impressions?

- Yes of course. After kovid, after quarantine it was the first world-class event in sports and we had a hard time preparing.

You lived in the Crimea and performed under the Ukrainian flag. How easy was this decision?

- It was not easy in such a situation. But I played for the national team at a young age, another 14-15 years. Since that age I have represented Ukraine and raised the Ukrainian flag. And simply based on such political and world events, in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 we had to not represent and go to a similar level of international competitions, staying in the Crimea. Just keep fit while training. And already in 2018 I came and won the right to take part in the world championship in Budapest, I brought a bronze medal for the state at this world championship.

What is happening in Crimea now with sports wrestling?

- With sports struggle in the Crimea guys don't lay hands, are engaged and try to keep the form also. They train and take part in competitions. We also try to support young people so that they do not give up if there are any difficulties. Playing sports in the Crimea, in particular, our Greco-Roman wrestling and participating in some international competitions - is difficult, of course, necessary. But still I advise everyone to do, after all, sport is a sport. For any child, this development is both physical and mental, and generally good for health, as they say. If possible, of course, not everyone can. But I wish everyone success and good luck to get on the world stage and showed their results as much as they can.

In order to become a professional athlete, you need to start from childhood. Then, when a person starts performing, he is already an adult. Children there should start playing within the Russian sports federations. Then it is very difficult to take part in international competitions in the Crimean registration.

- Everyone makes his own choice, of course, first of all, which flag he raises and which state he represents. There are, of course, some difficulties that they have to face, but again, this is not the fault of the guys, not the fault of the athlete, not the fault of our state, our people. It is not their fault, they are in such a difficult situation that they have to eat something and fight for it. And there are such difficulties as participation in international arenas and representing a country. Today I am calmly representing Ukraine, raising the Ukrainian flag. Because in the world community it is still an occupied territory and there are some nuances regarding the presentation of a certain flag.

You have very high support among Crimean residents and migrants. For them, you are undoubtedly a hero. How safe is it now on the occupied peninsula to be an athlete of Crimean Tatar origin and raise the Ukrainian flag?

- The most important thing is that people love me and I love to fight when they believe in me, and I bring joy to my people. The most important thing for me is, as I said, that I win medals not so much for myself, but for the people, for our children, for our boys. That they look and set an example.

What is your brightest impression of the Olympics in Tokyo?

- I am participating in the Olympic Games not for the first time and the very presence and atmosphere give the athlete such feelings that you just want to try again and again in life, not even an athlete, even a coach, but to visit this atmosphere and participate. Because sporting interest and the Olympic sports are the greatest event for every athlete and every athlete has been striving for it for 20 years. And imagine, after 20 years of work, when you come to your main goal, and you have a chance to realize, show what you are capable of and what you have been going for all these 20 years - this is the moment you get great pleasure, if you succeed. do it.

At the Olympics in Tokyo you took 5th place, while at the World Championships in Oslo - already 3rd.

- Yes, after the Olympics I gathered my strength, went to the World Championships, won the right, went to the World Championships and brought another bronze medal for the state. And for me it was a great honor again and a great joy.

What boundaries are you going to take next time?

- Today I have such a desire - to try myself in coaching, set an example and teach guys, our youth, our kids because I can. And I will be pleased that if I manage to pass on my experience to the younger generation - I will be very happy.

You are one of the founders of the Wrestling Federation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. It operates in the controlled part of Ukraine. Tell us how it happens.

- I take part in public organizations, and today we formed the Federation of sports wrestling of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. This is just a platform for those guys who find it difficult, let's say, to move here, to do their favorite sport, and we provide opportunities and conditions for this to make the guys feel comfortable. Because I went through this path myself and felt how difficult it was. And today we already have some success. There are guys who are trying their hand at their sports and they are already on track. which I went through.

Of course, it was difficult for me, when I moved here I had to represent a certain region, look for which region to represent and I represented the Poltava region - thank you, of course, to them for this, and to Oleg Yurievich Sazonov. There is a person who does not stay away, they are my sponsors. They helped me realize my sports career. And, in turn, I am in public organizations, on a voluntary basis, we support young guys and try to provide all the conditions to make it comfortable for them to pursue their careers.

Where do these trainings take place?

- Today it is all at the stage, at the beginning, where there are certain addresses, where I will, in time, teach coaching. There are certain places, addresses in some oblasts, Kyiv oblast. Again, these are not big, this is just the beginning. Not for today. Today there is a specific organization that helps certain guys who already participate in championships, come from the Crimea, participate in championships, tournaments, and the federation, led by the president of the federation and led by all its members, participates so that they can. Let's say that today there is an athlete who can hold certain sports meetings here at our Olympic bases, and there are athletes who join at the expense of the federation and we help them to participate in these meetings and represent, of course, a certain area. Today they represent the federation of our wrestling.

What is your brightest impression of the Olympics in Tokyo?

- I am participating in the Olympic Games not for the first time and the very presence and atmosphere give the athlete such feelings that you just want to try again and again in life, not even an athlete, even a coach, but to visit this atmosphere and participate. Because sporting interest and the Olympic sports are the greatest event for every athlete and every athlete has been striving for it for 20 years. And imagine, after 20 years of work, when you come to your main goal, and you have a chance to realize, show what you are capable of and what you have been going for all these 20 years - this is the moment you get great pleasure, if you succeed. do it.

At the Olympics in Tokyo you took 5th place, while at the World Championships in Oslo - already 3rd.

- Yes, after the Olympics I gathered my strength, went to the World Championships, won the right, went to the World Championships and brought another bronze medal for the state. And for me it was a great honor again and a great joy.

What boundaries are you going to take next time?

- Today I have such a desire - to try myself in coaching, set an example and teach guys, our youth, our kids because I can. And I will be pleased that if I manage to pass on my experience to the younger generation - I will be very happy.

You are one of the founders of the Wrestling Federation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. It operates in the controlled part of Ukraine. Tell us how it happens.

- I take part in public organizations, and today we formed the Federation of sports wrestling of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. This is just a platform for those guys who find it difficult, let's say, to move here, to do their favorite sport, and we provide opportunities and conditions for this to make the guys feel comfortable. Because I went through this path myself and felt how difficult it was. And today we already have some success. There are guys who are trying their hand at their sports and they are already on track. which I went through.

Of course, it was difficult for me, when I moved here I had to represent a certain region, look for which region to represent and I represented the Poltava region - thank you, of course, to them for this, and to Oleg Yurievich Sazonov. There is a person who does not stay away, they are my sponsors. They helped me realize my sports career. And, in turn, I am in public organizations, on a voluntary basis, we support young guys and try to provide all the conditions to make it comfortable for them to pursue their careers.

Where do these trainings take place?

- Today it is all at the stage, at the beginning, where there are certain addresses, where I will, in time, teach coaching. There are certain places, addresses in some oblasts, Kyiv oblast. Again, these are not big, this is just the beginning. Not for today. Today there is a specific organization that helps certain guys who already participate in championships, come from the Crimea, participate in championships, tournaments, and the federation, led by the president of the federation and led by all its members, participates so that they can. Let's say that today there is an athlete who can hold certain sports meetings here at our Olympic bases, and there are athletes who join at the expense of the federation and we help them to participate in these meetings and represent, of course, a certain area. Today they represent the federation of our wrestling.

At what age can you start practicing?

- Our sport - Greco-Roman wrestling - can be practiced from about 7 years. But it is never too late, as they say. Just basically many people ask, even my friends, and when you can give, not before what age? That is 4-5 is fulfilled to the son - and already ask. But 4-5 is too early. 4-5 is if you just roll over, play, play. But if you do sports, and to attract a child to a sport seriously, it takes at least 7 years. Of the 7, no less. It is never too late to go in for sports. To practice professionally, you need to start from childhood, to be honest. Preferably.

Do you plan to continue performing?

- Now, after the Olympic Games, after the World Cup, I still have the desire to try myself in coaching. In the future, of course, I see myself, in any case, in coaching. I have given up sports for so many years. I just can't get out of here. It will be difficult for me somewhere without struggle, without sports. In the future, I will already represent coaching, there are some prospects for coaching in the national team and we will try our hand there.

How does the Ukrainian Wrestling Federation feel about the creation of the Crimean center?

- Guys have known me since childhood, from youth, and many coaches know me from youth and childhood. And the fact that today we have formed the Wrestling Federation of Crimea - it has long been known to all, for several years, two or three years we have been doing it. And many even support, many are pleased that we, the people of Crimea, come and represent the Ukrainian state. There are friends who agree with this and even very much support it.

Do they understand why you are doing this? After all, athletes are often not up to politics.

- Okay. Let me stay, let's say, I will continue there. Everyone probably knows that I would have tied up with my sport a long time ago if I had stayed there. Therefore, at this age I had to make decisions and continue to advocate for the Ukrainian state. Everyone wants to realize themselves in sports. I saw it so that if I, say, move to the mainland and continue my career, then I will have a sports career, and it will be better. Of course, there are nuances as to why I thought so. I do not know. Friends who know me, who have supported me here, I think they will agree.