Champions of terror

Russia uses sport as a tool of propaganda and to circumvent sanctions
Total number:
123
Individuals
Updated: 02.12.2024
The participation of russian athletes in international competitions is a means of whitewashing russia`s reputation (sportwashing), spreading disinformation, justifying and legitimizing aggression against Ukraine among foreign audiences and demonstrating russia`s continued presence in the civilized world
Russian officials in international sports committees and federations remain a russian lobby and an element of strategic influence outside russia, providing ways to establish international relations and cooperation bypassing sanctions
What needs to be done:
  • suspend russian athletes from international competitions
  • exclude russian sports officials from international organizations
Sport should symbolize peace again
 
 
LALAKIN Sergey Nikolayevich
LALAKIN Sergey Nikolayevich
Member of the Supervisory Board of the Union of Paratroopers of russia, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Heritage Charitable Foundation, President of the Podolsk Sports Complex "Vityaz", Co-founder of the Vityaz hockey club, Chairman of the Supreme Board of Trustees (Supervisory Board) of the All-russian Federation of Sports for People with Musculoskeletal Disorders of the russian Paralympic Committee
Russian businessman and sports figure. Former founder and leader of the so-called Podolsk organized criminal group known as Luchok. A former paratrooper with the rank of senior sergeant.
He has close ties with government officials, functionaries and law enforcement officials in Moscow region. In particular, the co-founder of the Vityaz sports club network is Lalakin's accomplice in the Podolsk OCG, and now a member of the State Duma and Vice President of the russian Paralympic Committee, Chairman of the Board of the All-russian Federation of Sports for People with Musculoskeletal Disorders and a member of the Executive Committee of the russian Hockey Federation, Boris Ivanyuzhenkov.
The Heritage Charitable Foundation, controlled by Lalakin, provides humanitarian aid to the so-called "members of the SMO."
The Vityaz football club, which Lalakin oversees, holds friendly matches with schoolchildren from the temporarily occupied Donetsk as part of the Children of russia for Children of Donbas project, and in March 2022 held a campaign in support of the russian army called "Zа правду #своихнебросаем" ("For the Truth #We Don't Abandon Our Own)".
Other sports organizations controlled by Lalakin include the Podolsk Tennis Academy.
Lalakin has received a number of state awards, including the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, second class, the Order of Friendship, the medal for Loyalty to Duty and the Fatherland, the honorary badges for the Revival of russia, highest, first and second class, the Order of the Presidential Star, letters of commendation and certificates from putin, and has been awarded the personalized watch of the russian president, the orders of General of the Army Margelov and Loyalty to the Paratrooper Brotherhood.
War & Sanctions 2024