To say there’s been drama with figure skating at the Winter Olympic Games would be an understatement.
We’ve had a judges’ controversy. We’ve had more falls on the ice than we can remember, with fans demanding the Olympics fix it. We’ve had historic upsets. We’ve had one-point victories.
And now we have the most serious drama in Milan so far: a food scandal.
Russian figure skater Gleb Smolkin was recently interviewed about his time in the Olympic village and how he’s been enjoying the Games after the first week.
“In the village, we haven’t found any Russian or Georgian cuisine,” said Smolkin, who is representing Georgia at the event with his wife, Diana Davis. “The food here is European and quite monotonous.”
While that might not have been enough to cause any outrage, he took it one step further, leading Italians to take aim at him and his wife.
“Pasta is already starting to make my stomach churn.”
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After receiving backlash for comments that might have been taken out of context, Smolkin issued a statement today on his personal Instagram in tandem with Davis.
“We would like to address the recent situation and clarify the information that has been circulating,” they wrote. “Some journalists have inaccurately reported our words, and we want to state clearly that we never said what has been attributed to us.
“We have great respect for Italy and truly love Italian cuisine. It is an essential part of our everyday diet and something we genuinely enjoy.”
The pair, who finished 13th in the controversial ice dance competition that is still being discussed on Saturday, also wanted to shed light on the harassment they received for their views on Italian food.
“In recent days, we have received a large number of offensive messages based on this incorrect information. We kindly ask everyone to verify facts before drawing conclusions or spreading misinformation. Thank you for your understanding.”
Dining and Cooking