Turmoil on Minds of Ukrainian Olympians

Sergey Bubka, president of Ukraine’s Olympic committee, says his country’s athletes are coming together to support one another as civil unrest grips their capital.

Hundreds are feared dead or wounded in Kiev as protesters clash with the Ukrainian government. Bubka says the situation seems "impossible to believe," but the country’s Olympic athletes in Sochi are doing what they can to persevere from afar.

"We’re a team together," Bubka tells Around the Rings. "We help each other. We can help with anything that you need.

"But of course, we understand it’s not easy."

The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine posted a picture on its Facebook page from the Olympic Village. It shows Ukrainian flags hanging from the athletes’ windows with black ribbons tied to them.

Bubka says that although some athletes have chosen not to participate further in the Games, the only athletes who have left for home are those whose events are already over. Those still in Sochi will remain until they depart as a team on Monday.

"We want to bring unity. We need to bring glory and price and we would like to hear the anthem of Ukraine to support our nation and to help them stay together."

Bubka said the only resolution will come through talking.

"The only way is dialogue. Dialogue is power. Violence is weakness."

Written by Nick Devlin

Homepage photo: National Olympic Committee of Ukraine

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.