Russian Olympic speedskater apologizes for giving double middle finger after besting Team USA in semifinal
Aldoshkin said he was caught in the moment of winning a medal in his Olympic debut
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Russian Olympic speedskater has come under fire for flipping the bird after beating Team USA on the men's team pursuit semifinal on Tuesday.
Daniil Aldoshkin, 20, issued an apology after facing backlash for flashing his middle fingers when he and teammates Ruslan Zakharov and Sergey Trofimov crossed the finish line with an Olympic record time of 3:36.62, securing at least a silver medal.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I threw up my hands," Aldoshkin said, via RT.com. "I have the first medal, the first Olympics. I didn't mean anything like that. I'm sorry if this offended anyone."
Sergei Trofimov, Daniil Aldoshkin and Ruslan Zakharov L to R of ROC compete during the speed skating men's team pursuit finals at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 15, 2022. (Wang Jianwei/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Zakharov, who won gold in the men’s 5,000-meter relay back in 2014, defended his teammate, calling it an "emotional reaction."
"In speed skating, we fight against time, not against an opponent," he said, according to the outlet. "It was purely an emotional reaction."
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President of the Russian Skating Union Alexei Kravtsov offered another apology, doubling down on Aldoshkin’s actions as a result of his emotions.
Silver medalists Russia's Daniil Aldoshkin, Sergei Trofimov, Ruslan Zakharov celebrate on the podium during the men's speed skating team pursuit victory ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Beijing Medals Plaza in Beijing on Feb. 15, 2022. (Photo by WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images)
"Today was a very emotional day for our team. Daniil is a debutant of the Games, he has the first Olympic medal in his career. In the semifinals, the team set an Olympic record. It was an outburst of emotion," Kravtsov said, via RT.com.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We talked with the athlete, he made a statement at a press conference. Emotions took over at the finish line, there was no subtext in this action. We are sorry if someone differently perceived this situation and [it] offended someone. On behalf of the Russian Skating Union, we offer our official apologies."
Daniil Aldoshkin of Team Russian Olympic Committee reacts after their heat in the speedskating men's team pursuit semifinals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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The Russian Olympic Committee is second in the overall medal count with 22 but ranks 9th with just four gold medals.