Žan Košir (41), the most experienced member of the Slovenian snowboard national team and a three-time Olympic medalist, finished his performance at the Winter Olympics in the round of 16 of the parallel giant slalom.
The South Korean was better than him Kim Sang-kyumwho eventually won the silver medal, and the Slovenian he did not hide his indignation the state of Slovenian snowboarding and the attitude of the Ski Association of Slovenia towards it. Without hesitation, he made serious accusations against the Alliance and people within the system.
There were reasons why I couldn’t compete in all the races. To go to China, for example, they didn’t provide me with funds, but that’s not my concern anymore. I just hope there is enough money left to continue the season, because all the remaining World Cup races were planned from the beginning, said Koshir and added:
I don’t know how much we’ve spent so far. In the Alliance, money is distributed according to the interests of individualsand not like in other national teams, like the Italian one, where everyone trains together.
It is special to him affected the behavior of people from the professional staff.
We have people here… When we were driving to Bormio for the press conference, someone from the coaching staff was listing in the van who, in his opinion, would win the men’s competition, and he did not even mention us Slovenians. It’s a shame that such people even exist.
Košir claims that there is no longer unity in the Slovenian national team.
I don’t know where else it can happen except in Slovenia, yes personal interests prevail, and not the interests of the country we represent and which pays for our performances. It’s like they want to destroy us mentally.
He emphasized that everyone in the national team should stand behind it Tim Mastnakwho is in the fight for a medal.
Today we should all stand by Tim Mastnak and help him as much as possible. All our ‘army’ should be with him, because he can bring us a medal. We are done without her.
He also recalled the time when the national team functioned as a team.
When I started in Vancouver, we were Rok Flander, Izidor Šusteršić, me, trainers, repairmen, all together. We stuck together. That started to fall apart when they realized that everything was financed through categorizations. Whoever has status wants all the money for himself.
Although he has made six appearances at the Olympic Games and has never placed worse than 11th place, Košir is not yet thinking about ending his career, reports Klix.
I could quit, but I’m still good. So I don’t think about it. I don’t know which athlete in Slovenia has such statistics. Of course I didn’t come for 11th place, but for a medal, but I didn’t want to put pressure on myself.
He also discovered that they accommodation conditions far below acceptable.
I’d rather not even say what kind of room I sleep in, but for a three-time Olympic medalist it is it was as if they had placed me in a barn. If I have to eat bread and salami and sleep in conditions unworthy of a man, I will not do that again.
Košir concluded that he is open to performing at the next Olympic Games, but only if he has the basic respect that he says he deserves.
(www.jabuka.tv)
