Igor Nikolayevich Larionov (Russian: Игорь Николаевич Ларионов; born December 3, 1960 in Voskresensk, Soviet Union now Russia) is a retired Russian ice hockey player. Along with Viacheslav Fetisov, he was instrumental in breaking the barrier that stopped Soviet players from joining the National Hockey League. He primarily played the center position, and is considered one of the best passers of all time. Larionov won three Stanley Cup championships with the Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002) and was inducted as an Honored Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 10, 2008.Larionov eventually became the leader of the Soviet players' efforts to win their freedom, leading Tikhonov to kick him off the Soviet national team under suspicion that he might defect to the West.

Larionov was one of the first athletes to leave Soviet Russia to play professional sports, opening barriers for other players, to enjoy full freedom.

...sure why not.

i hate sports, so NO

I don't consider sportsmen to be heroic. And much less suh sellouts which serve for ludicrous and demoagogic political capitalization.

he has political significance.

Thank you mademoiselle.

It was all my pleasure dear gentleman

i agree on zealot here too, but who is paying the atleth its us, we pay the athelctst when we watch tv.

Most elite athletes pay a big price to perform at they're level, they basically have no social life from the age of 14, where they are taken away from they're family and friends so they can go somewhere they didn't even knew it existed, so they can play at a higher level and have a SHOT at the majors. Even there your insured to scrap your studies, but you have a 0,5% chance and even lower to make it. If you are drafted, then, you pass usually around 4-5 years playing 8 to 9 months where you can't see your family and friends traveling around North America in a crap bus where your paid 25000$ a year and you don't have your strable home. After that you can enjoy your 1-2 average year at the top level being paid 450 000$ for each year than you retire. NO LILITH IT DOESNT WORK LIKE THAT, A SPORTS TEAM IS A FUCKING BUSINESS NOT A CHARITY GROUP.

And yes Zealot everyone can work in a mine for 40 years, that is exactly why they have a shit salary, and not everyone can play sports at such a high level, and that's why they have a greater salary.

Tyrlop: From your photo i assume you never played sports younger and we're in a chess team, and we're bullied by sports guy, or maybe not, just an impression.