Jeff Monson Calls Disqualification of Russian Athletes Hypocrisy

Mixed martial artist Jeff Monson, who obtained Russian citizenship in 2018, has harshly criticized international sports officials for disqualifying Russian athletes from competitions.

“Punishing athletes for governmental disagreements makes no sense. Athletes have no say in their country’s foreign policy. America claims to be a land of freedom, yet they ban athletes from participating in competitions solely based on their citizenship,” Monson told URA.RU, who is also a member of the Krasnogorsk Duma in the Moscow region.

Monson considers the disqualification of Russian athletes to be a manifestation of hypocrisy. “America bombs five different countries in the Middle East and Africa. America invaded and occupied Afghanistan and Iraq under the pretense of weapons of mass destruction. There hasn’t even been a suggestion to remove American athletes from competitions due to the military actions of the U.S. government. Hypocrisy,” he stated.