Russian Olympic champion figure skater Alexey Yagudin has suggested that the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has been exaggerated by people who simply got panicky over the potential threat.
The four-time world champion said that pharmaceutical companies would cash in on the coronavirus crisis, adding that the impact of the deadly infection is not as huge as it has been made out to be by the media.
“It’s just panic. I beg your pardon, but people have always got ill and died,” Yagudin said.
“Let’s say that now we are facing an epidemic of flu, it doesn’t sound that huge, right? Money rules the world. Money is the source of all events happening in our lives.
Also on rt.com Sports stars vs coronavirus: What are famous athletes doing amid the pandemic? (PHOTOS, VIDEO)“Now, it could be lobbying of somebody’s interests, production of medical supplies, for example.
“Do people lose money because of the pandemic? Trust me, they will earn it again. Of course, we should battle the coronavirus, like any other disease. But I think that the situation is not that critical in reality,” he added.
Yagudin earned the Olympic title in the men’s singles skating in 2002, beating his principle rival and countryman Evgeni Plushenko at the Salt Lake City Winter Games.