This came in his statements to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. Monson said that the Olympic Games without Russian athletes "cannot be considered a global sporting celebration," but merely a "regional championship," asking: "What is the point of watching the Olympics if one of the strongest countries in sports is prevented from participating?"
So far, only a limited number of Russian athletes have managed to qualify for the Games to be held in Italy in 2026, including figure skaters Adelia Petrosyan and Pyotr Gumenik, as well as snowmobile Nikita Filipov, while most international winter sports federations do not allow the rest of the Russian athletes to participate in the Olympic qualifying rounds.
It is worth noting that Monson renounced his American citizenship in 2023, after obtaining citizenship of the Luhansk People's Republic in 2016, then Russian citizenship in 2018. He also holds the title of honorary citizen of Abkhazia.
