Domracheva: We are patriots, it is hard to change citizenship
Domracheva and Bjørndalen. Photo: Facebook
Famous Belarusian biathlete Darya Domracheva has confirmed that her Norwegian legendary husband Ole Einar Bjørndalen could represent Belarus at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. “It would have been great for Belarusian fans,” sport.ru quotes Domracheva as saying. “They always support Ole Einar, he is a sports legend. It would have been fantastic to see him in Team Belarus. Belarusian fans would have been in the seventh heaven.”
The opportunity was there and Bjørndalen "was eager to grab it," Domracheva said. It was his first impulse but after having given it a second thought he made another decision.
"We discussed the issue together and considered all options," Domracheva said. “We decided that he would remain a Norwegian legend forever. We are athletes and patriots, it is hard for us to change citizenship.”
The International Olympic Committee and the International Biathlon Union could allow Bjørndalen to represent Belarus in South Korea, Norwegian mass media reported recently. “I do not think that it would have been right... I took part in so many successful competitions for Norway and it would just have been wrong,” the legend said. Ole Einar Bjørndalen, 44, was not included in Team Norway to go to the Olympics in South Korea. Instead, he headed there together with the Belarusian team to help our athletes and support his wife.
