Trefilov Criticizes Hergeirsson: Olympic Defeats in Rio and Tokyo Still a Sore Point?
Legendary Russian coach Evgeny Trefilov had furious statement after Icelandic coach Thorir Hergeirsson, who until recently led the Norwegian women’s handball team, called the exclusion of the Russian national team “fair”.
Trefilov shared his opinion with TASS.
“At first, he was just an assistant coach under Marit Breivik, simply reaping the benefits of everything she had built for many years. And let’s not forget that Norway’s success originally started with the great Igor Turchin, who went there for bypass surgery. Marit Breivik trained under him—that’s where their success originates. And now Hergeirsson pounds his chest, tears his shirt, and shouts ‘me, me, me.’ Or are those Olympic defeats to Russia in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 still a sore point for him?”
“Sports should be free of politics, as they themselves claim. But at the same time, they flip-flop and make sarcastic statements. That’s dishonorable. One must be objective—three years without international competition inevitably affects Russia’s game, and that must be acknowledged. Right now, we are forced to compete only within Russia. But if we had played in recent World Championships, European Championships, and the Paris Olympics, we would have competed for top positions. So, ‘judge not, that ye be not judged.’ In the end, everything should be decided on the court—step onto it, show your results, and there will be no questions,” he added.
Since 2022, Russian national teams in Olympic team sports have been banned from international competitions following a recommendation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
