Fedor Emelianenko: “My greatest joy is that I am an Orthodox believer. Fedor Emelianenko: personal life, politics, Orthodoxy, Emelianenko's training about Orthodoxy
He is called a legend, books are written about him and filmed in films. Many know him as the "Last Emperor" and one of the most outstanding athletes in history mixed martial arts. "Everything with God's help" is his motto. Fedor Emelianenko - eight-time world champion in mixed martial arts in heavyweight, today - adviser to the Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation, while in conversation he is always a very quiet and modest person. The social network "Yelitsy" met with Fedor Vladimirovich to talk about faith, the proper upbringing of children and how to remain human in any situation.
Fedor, how can one be restrained and not show aggression towards the opponent when engaging in an outwardly very cruel sport, such as martial arts, where pain is deliberately inflicted on the opponent?
I do not consider martial arts a cruel sport, and moreover, I have never entered the ring with bitterness or even irritation. Any martial art should first of all instill respect for the opponent, therefore the external manifestation and what is happening in the heart of a person at that time are completely different things.
Indeed, when Alexander Nevsky defended the Russian land from enemies, his heart remained peaceful, that is, there was no place for hatred and anger in it.
Yes, that's why it is very important, despite any situation, whether it's even biased refereeing or violation of the rules of the fight, to respect the opponent and not respond to aggression. I would give another example. You can enter the ring and fight without any negative emotions, or you can beat tennis ball, breaking rackets, and hating your opponent. Education is very important in this matter. When they brought me to the gym, the first thing the coach told us was: “You will have such knowledge that even many adults do not have. You will have great strength, but it should never be used outside the ring, boasted or flaunted.
There is an opinion that in any competition where two people participate, pride will increase in the winner, and envy in the loser ...
We face this at every turn, and not only in sports. And right education is important here - you need to explain to young people that they compete not for their own pride or vanity, but to glorify their sports school, their city, their country. In any kind of activity, one can encounter these passions and vices, and no matter what we do, the joy of victory and the bitterness of defeat will always be present. You need to be able to accept them correctly - having suffered a defeat, you don’t need to despair, but treat it as your flaw, having won, you can’t be lifted up with pride and attribute it only to yourself.
Your rivals always speak very warmly of you. Do you keep in touch with them?
Of course, we communicate as much as possible. You need to remain human in any situation, no matter who you are. After all, man is the image of God. There were such fights when they tried to throw mud at our team on the Internet. However, after the fight they came up with the words: "Sorry, nothing personal ...".
Are you under that kind of pressure?
No. I try not to even read it and not react to it in any way. I know that if you approach people with love and kindness, then they will respond to you in the same way. Even if at first there is some kind of negativity, then with a good attitude, people thaw and change their point of view.
Today, during a very unstable geopolitical situation, Orthodoxy is recognized by many as a unifying factor. Can Orthodoxy today really gain such strength and unite people, do you think?
I would phrase it a little differently. We have always united with our Orthodox brothers, other peoples, under the name of Christ. In my opinion, this is a more correct wording - it is the Lord who unites us. And you can win only with faith, only with God's help. After all, there is no such commandment in Orthodoxy that would run counter to our conscience. In this regard, the words of St. Sergius of Radonezh are recalled: “We will be saved by love and unity.” Today, this is more relevant than ever.
Which most revered saints are especially close to your heart?
There are many such people of holy life. Of course, this is Father Seraphim of Sarov, Rev. Sergius of Radonezh, Holy Righteous Warrior Fyodor Ushakov. I have been traveling to Serbia for two years already, and Tsar Lazar and Prince Milos are especially awe and reverence. The Kosovo events are our Kulikovo field. I am very worried about the Serbian people, they also had to go through a lot. Of our current contemporaries - this is Patriarch Pavel of Serbia, the Greek elder Paisius Svyatogorets. It is on them that we must be equal - on our saints, who, by their lives, by their deeds, have proved their holiness.
Fedor, your victories inspire completely different people. And above all, your successes motivate young people. Such concepts as sport and patriotism are very close. What do you think needs to be done in order to grow in Russia healthy body and the spirit of the people?
We should all try to live in such a way that our own name and the name of Christ will not be put to shame. And for this, of course, it is necessary to engage in the education of children and youth. After all, we often try to feed, put on shoes, and clothe our children, that is, to create all the conditions and blessings of the earth, but we forget about the spiritual component of raising a child. Not even spiritual, and sometimes we simply forget about elementary morality. From here, then, big troubles occur - drug addiction, alcoholism, children forget their parents. That is why education, first of all, should be in the spirit of morality based on faith.
Television has a great influence on young, fragile minds. Today there are many programs that not only do not contribute to the development of morality and culture, but, on the contrary, corrupt. Do you think the state should influence this situation?
It seems to me that the time has come when such "freedom" should be limited. There must be freedom for the good, not freedom to propagate evil and violence.
I think that now a lot is already moving towards this - our president, V.V. Putin listens to the voice of the Church. In addition, the events that are currently taking place in the international arena in relation to Russia can accelerate this process.
However, it is important to remember that everything starts in the family, and it is the parents who are responsible for raising their children. It is necessary to educate a child so that he can not only distinguish good from evil, but also take the side of good in any situation. When the foundation is laid, the teacher, the school is involved in education ... By the way, a lot depends on the coach: there are moments in life when the coach has more authority than parents, so his choice should be approached very carefully.
In modern society, the role of the Internet in Everyday life people. How often do you use the Internet and do you allow your children to use social networks?
Of course, I use the Internet, but only purposefully: I get there only the information I need. I like to visit Orthodox websites, such as Pravoslavie.ru, the website of the Patriarchate, and I regularly read the lives of the Saints. But I am not registered in social networks.
As for children, my younger daughters have not yet grown up to the Internet, and the eldest has already learned how to filter information - to read only what she needs. In addition, my wife and I watch what she is interested in.
In your opinion, can the Internet be used as a platform for bringing together Orthodox people, communication, spiritual enlightenment, and missionary work?
Yes, of course it can. We must always remember that the Internet, as a tool, is a double-edged sword that can both hurt and help. There is a lot of negative information, but at the same time there is useful and necessary information. That is why I see great prospects for the Yelitsy Orthodox social network, which allows Orthodox people around the world to unite, communicate, share experiences and help each other.
In conclusion of the conversation, what would you wish to the users of the social network "Yelitsy"?
I would like to wish that we treat each other with more love, come to the rescue at the right time, always have compassion and hear our neighbor. Unity is our strength.
Fedor, thank you for an interesting conversation.
Thank you and good luck with the Yelitsy project.
Russian mixed martial arts fighter Fedor Emelianenko open training in Stary Oskol, where he met with a Lenta.ru correspondent. The multiple world champion spoke about his return to the ring, promotional activities, attitude to women's martial arts, the meldonium scandal, and the role of religion in his life. Next fight Fedor Emelianenko will play against the Brazilian Fabio Maldonado on June 17 in St. Petersburg at the Sibur Arena.
Lenta.ru: How and when did the idea to return to professional sports come about? What was the reason?
: The thought of this was always there. When I left in 2012, the injuries were already making themselves felt. I healed them, and then an offer came from Vladimir Putin to work in the Ministry of Sports with Vitaly Mutko. I have done my best as an adviser to the minister. We more or less put martial arts in order, I rested and felt a desire to compete again.
How satisfied are you with the fight with Singh? Did everything go as planned?
Absolutely satisfied. Thank God, everything worked out for me. I fought without errors.
You recently founded your own team - FedorTeam. Tell us about this project. What is its purpose? How are things going now?
Rather, she created herself! I have known the guys who are part of the team for a long time. Ever since they were children and trained with me in the sambo gym, judo. This is how the team was formed. Kirill Sidelnikov became a multiple world sambo champion. Vadim Nemkov - two-time champion world, like his brother Victor. In 2015, I received an offer from the Japanese organizers. I told them that I have a team. The Japanese guaranteed that they would take everyone! This is how we started to prepare. When the Japanese asked about the name of the team, the guys suggested FedorTeam.
What is the future of the team? Are you a promoter?
I really want all the guys to become world champions in mixed martial arts. I am not a pure promoter, but with my wife Oksana I also perform the functions of promoting the guys. Sometimes I act both as a sparring partner and as a working coach, although we also have them. From time to time we go to training camps in Russia and the Netherlands with the team. So I do a lot of things, including promotions.
In training, they worked with you quite hard. Kirill Sidelnikov was especially zealous. Are you afraid of getting hurt?
No. It gave you the impression that we were training too hard. We are really working hard! Everything's under control. Always remember, we are a team. So our task is to help each other and in no case never injure.
Do you still have time to work as president of the MMA Union of Russia? What are your responsibilities?
My main task is to develop mixed martial arts. This is not only visiting tournaments and events, but also managing the MMA Union of Russia. We regularly hold presidiums, annually - conferences, where we discuss various issues that arise in certain regions of Russia. We organize championships of different levels: region, district, championship, Cup, Supercup and championship of Russia. We are also preparing the Russian team for international tournaments. We work separately with judges and coaches at thematic seminars. There is a lot of work, but I like everything.
Name the three most promising Russian fighters MMA at the moment?
I am impressed by Magomed Ankalaev. He is already a repeated champion of Russia. I am sure he has a great future in professional sports. His predecessor was Rashid Yusupov. He recently became the M-1 champion. These two are very interesting guys. The same Aleksey Kunchenko is the M-1 champion. Our athletes, natives of the MMA Union of Russia, fight among professionals in various versions and win.
Let's get back to your sports career. Which fight was the most difficult?
First against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. I was just a contender then, and he was the best in the world, having beaten all the iconic, strongest fighters. In my subconscious sat: "This is my chance." I didn’t even think about losing, but I understood that the number one fighter at that time would come out against me. I won that fight by unanimous decision.
How do you feel about the rapidly gaining popularity of women's martial arts?
To be honest, I don't really like them. I am not a supporter of female martial arts, although I respect these girls. Since they have chosen this path, it is impossible not to respect them. But still, I think, from the point of view of health and aesthetics, this is not the best thing to do. A woman should be feminine, and martial arts develop masculine qualities in a woman.
How do you feel about Conor McGregor?
I don't really like this man's behavior.
Three of your favorite boxers?
I can name two - Roy Jones and Muhammad Ali in their best years.
Alexander Povetkin was scheduled to fight Deontay Wilder on May 21st. What do you think about the cancellation of this fight?
I don’t have all the information on this, but as far as I remember, Wilder didn’t really want to go to Russia to fight Alexander, even when everything was fine. There was a reason to avoid a duel, and he took advantage of it.
Is the Meldonium scandal, in your opinion, an anti-Russian policy or just the inattention of each individual athlete and his team?
You see what is happening in the world and in our country. The story with meldonium should simply be accepted. I think there is an element of anti-Russian policy in this. Mildronate has a cumulative effect. It does not come out in a few days, as written in the instructions. An athlete during the season exposes his body to huge loads, and one proper nutrition few. In addition to vitamins, you need to support the heart. Mildronate is good for the heart and has never been banned.
How and when did you come to faith? What role does she play in your life?
In 2007, a tournament was held in Nizhny Novgorod. We went to the Diveevsky Monastery, and I came out a different person. I was not spiritual then, I was in search. If I may say so, I was at the bottom. Having learned about the existence of such people as Father Seraphim of Sarov and other Diveyevo saints, he experienced the grace of God. I realized that you need to live only with God, act according to conscience and faith. You need to cleanse your heart.
In Nizhny Novgorod, a drunk priest in a wild frenzy arranged an accident, threatened witnesses with a barrel; hiding behind the name of the Lord, he promised journalists death the next day, molested the ladies and called them bunnies, and also threw all the blame on his ... evil twin brother (I'm not kidding!) - in general, spiritual bonds, as they are. In general, typical everyday life, a typical pop - there would be nothing special and remarkable in this story, if not for one BUT. Pop turned out to be the spiritual mentor of Fedor Emelianenko. Yes, yes, one of those priests who joyfully jumped in their dresses around the ring around Fedor after his victory over Rogers. At the end of a smart video with a priest.
So, the priest, after reading my morning post about the starving militia wives, decided, apparently, to console them, so to speak, to fill the vessels of their souls with his seed of spirituality, and therefore, from the bottom of his heart, he drank water, got into his cool SUV and rushed off to carry the word of God to the ignorant masses .
Drunk behind the wheel, he sat down for a reason. The fact is that pop in Russia is not subject to jurisdiction in principle. He is above the law. A pop can do GENERALLY anything - even twist children in a meat grinder, even rape minors - he will never get anything for it. Even if it suddenly turns out that the pop is a serial killer and a cannibal, I assure you, the miracle of the Lord will immediately appear to the world, and all the evidence, video recordings from surveillance cameras and testimonies will instantly dissolve into thin air. We could observe a similar miracle when another drunken priest knocked down road workers to death. Isn't this a direct proof of the existence of God? checkmate, amethysts! A pop is even more beyond jurisdiction in Russia than a Chechen or a Dagestani. Here, and what about some kind of drunk driving against this background? Chickens are laughing. And I will say more - the priests, purely out of principle, always drive drunk in order to demonstrate to the common people (i.e. you) all their Lord's greatness. And if it suddenly turns out that some priest was driving sober in a car, Gundyaev personally deprives him of his dignity.
The pop, of course, was very patriotic - the spiritual mentor of our Bogatyr cannot but be a patriot. However, for some reason, the priest was driving an imported jeep alien to our spirituality. Where the priest got an expensive car from - I won’t even wonder, it’s clear that God sent down for deeds pleasing to him (God). Well, as the recording from the cameras of that priest dissolved, so the jeep of this priest materialized. Why is the jeep imported? Well, most likely because imported ones are more expensive. And now even more so. After all, the priest clearly wanted to push this jeep halfway through the crowd in order to distribute money to the hungry old women, parishioners of his church. I'm not a national traitor to doubt the purity of the priest's mind - the master of Russia!
But, the bourgeois adversary did not doze off, and therefore sent a zombified kamikaze killer to the priest so that he would interfere with the good deeds of the clergyman. And he caused the accident. What could be the reaction of a decent person to such arbitrariness? Of course, only one: the priest, rushed to defend the word of the Lord - took out the barrel and attacked the witnesses.
During the arrest, the priest was found in his pocket ... three million rubles, which he, of course, was taking to the orphanage. I'm not some kind of fascist - a national traitor, to doubt the piety of our faith, the Orthodox!
I present to your attention a smart video from the news. Especially deliver empty bottles of vodka randomly scattered around the cabin of the car (apparently he waved them off the demons), as well as a luxurious mansion of the servant of the Lord our God.
And I want to remind you that the word of the Lord can be very weighty, so if you see a priest on the street - do not risk it, go to the other side of the street. Because God only knows what's going on in this person's head - the priest is ABSOLUTELY always drunk and often intoxicated, so he can easily throw acid in your face, because he understands that they won't put him in jail for this. A pop in a vodka frenzy can rip open a pregnant woman's belly with a knife, and if you are nearby, they will blame you for this. Don't take risks! Hide when the pop comes on - you'll live longer.
And in general, I believe that it is necessary to build a separate track for priests on the roads - it is unacceptable when the master, the master of Russia, drives in the same stream with the serfs! stay vigilant and may the Lord protect you! Amen!
Visiting the program "Bright Evening" was a famous Russian athlete Fedor Emelianenko.
Our guest spoke about his family, about his hometown - Stary Oskol, about coming to sports, his teachers and sports career. In addition, Fedor spoke about literature and his love of reading, about coming to God and his faith, and also about what a real man should be like.
Hosts: Alla Mitrofanova and Alexey Pichugin
Away: Fedor Emelianenko
A. Pichugin
Hello! Alla Mitrofanova, me, Alexey Pichugin, and Fedor Emelianenko are our guest today on Vera radio. Hello!
A. Mitrofanova
Good bright evening!
F. Emelianenko
Hello!
Our dossier:
Fedor Emelianenko. Born in 1976 in the city of Rubizhny, Luhansk region. Soon his family moved to the city of Stary Oskol, Belgorod Region. At the age of 10, Emelianenko began to practice sambo and judo. He received his higher education at the Belgorod State University at the faculty physical education and sports. Repeated world champion in mixed martial arts, Honored Master of Sports in Sambo and Master of Sports international class in judo. In 2012, Fedor became an adviser to the Minister of Sports Russian Federation, a member of the Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports. The two brothers of Fedor - Alexander and Ivan are also famous athletes.
A. Mitrofanova
Fedor, tell me, please, you were born in the Luhansk region, as far as I know, and lived for several years in this region, who do you feel like in terms of mentality? To what extent was what you saw around you embedded in the mentality at that time?
F. Emelianenko
I don’t remember myself in the Luhansk region, I remember that we came to my grandmothers for the holidays, and so I lived my entire adult life in Stary Oskol. When I was 2 years old, my family moved to Belgorod region to Stary Oskol, and all my life I have lived in Stary Oskol.
A. Mitrofanova
Coming to grandmothers in Lugansk?
F. Emelianenko
Yes, but then we had the Soviet Union, and the borders were free. There was no division.
A. Pichugin
Moreover, the border is close.
F. Emelianenko
A. Pichugin
When did you move to Moscow?
F. Emelianenko
And I have been in Moscow for 2 years and three months.
A. Pichugin
Did you live in Stary Oskol before that?
F. Emelianenko
Yes, that's right, the Belgorod region.
A. Mitrofanova
Stary Oskol is a small town where Fedor Emelianenko lives, a man of world renown. How did you feel there?
F. Emelianenko
Amazing.
A. Mitrofanova
Everyone knew you.
A. Pichugin
It's not such a small town though...
F. Emelianenko
300 thousand. And all my life I studied in Stary Oskol, and I always gave the result for my beloved city. Later, when I finished my sports career, I received an offer to work in the Ministry of Sports ...
A. Pichugin
And only then did you move to Moscow?
F. Emelianenko
A. Mitrofanova
And before that, you never had a desire to expand your horizons, see the world, move to another country, did you have all the opportunities for this?
F. Emelianenko
And I traveled around the country, and I rode around the world, I don’t know, for me the most best city- This is Stary Oskol. My hometown. Everywhere, wherever I was, I was always drawn to home, in Russia. As soon as I found myself in Russia, I wanted to go home, to my relatives and friends. I like Moscow and I like St. Petersburg. I always find...
A. Pichugin
Can you make yourself comfortable? I mean, there are people who can get comfortable, it's not a material matter, anywhere. It is difficult for someone to move, and someone knows how to fit himself into the environment well.
F. Emelianenko
My environment is temple and family, work. That is, approximately three of these components are divided. I live with family and work and, of course, I always go to the temple.
A. Pichugin
In Soviet times, it was not very accepted, large families were not very common. How did you feel in such a family - four people?
F. Emelianenko
We felt great. There were harder times, but we lived quite amicably, although our older sister left early, early for us, especially for my brothers. She went to medical school...
A. Mitrofanova
Where by the way?
F. Emelianenko
She graduated from the Krasnodar Medical Institute.
A. Mitrofanova
And stayed there?
F. Emelianenko
No, she's back.
A. Mitrofanova
To Stary Oskol?
F. Emelianenko
A. Mitrofanova
You have this family, you are all returning to Stary Oskol. It's good.
F. Emelianenko
Now only she remained there, and her mother.
A. Mitrofanova
Do you have any favorite place in Stary Oskol, your own?
F. Emelianenko
I love nature very much, I am fueled in many ways by meeting with family, friends, in nature.
A. Mitrofanova
Around.
F. Emelianenko
There 10 minutes, and you are already in the vicinity. In any direction. And so - I have a rest in a family.
A. Mitrofanova
Returning to the question of your parents' large family. We all come from the Soviet era, whatever one may say. In Soviet times, the attitude towards large families was what: they created poverty, seven in shops, and so on. You say that you lived a wonderful, wonderful life, did you not feel such moods in relation to yourself? How were you perceived by those around you?
F. Emelianenko
I "spawned poverty" heard in my adulthood. In relation to others. Because my mother had a certificate that she was a mother, a mother of many children, she, of course, did not use it, but it was an honor for her. And in my childhood, I never heard the expression "spawned poverty."
A. Mitrofanova
This is probably very good. This means that, looking at your family, everyone was happy and wanted the same.
F. Emelianenko
Maybe.
A. Mitrofanova
I read that you lived in a shared apartment with your parental family for a while, do you remember that experience? Which is now also a thing of the past. Modern teenagers, children have no idea what it is.
F. Emelianenko
The three of us lived, Sanya was just born, in the same room, we went to the kitchen and the restroom through a common corridor. Later we expanded, we were given another room in the apartment, that is, we had a one-room small family.
A. Mitrofanova
So you moved then?
F. Emelianenko
Yes. And the bathroom was, did not have to walk through a common corridor.
A. Mitrofanova
Are you friends with your neighbors?
F. Emelianenko
We have always lived very friendly. We all had small children, we were all friends as children, our adult parents were friends, met. We met constantly. And they spent holidays together.
A. Pichugin
What is your most vivid childhood impression?
F. Emelianenko
Taken by surprise.
A. Pichugin
There must have been a lot of them.
F. Emelianenko
As a child, it seemed to me that there were only two Fedyas in the world. I asked my mother for a long time why you called me Fedya, there is no one around Fedya.
A. Mitrofanova
And who was the second Fedya?
F. Emelianenko
My grandfather. "I named you after my grandfather." And it seemed to me that there were two Fedyas in the whole wide world. And for me it was a great surprise when I was already an adult, I saw another Fedya, and then another. And now it happens to be ridiculous, you walk down the street, you hear "Fedenka". You involuntarily turn around, mom calls the baby.
A. Mitrofanova
There is a fashion for names. One year, for some reason, everyone is called Andrey, the next year everyone is called Tikhon or Nikita. And now, apparently, they turned to Fedor.
A. Pichugin
Then the name was not very common. It was named after my grandfather, and in the late 70s ...
A. Mitrofanova
Not common, really. Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, as usual...
And how do you feel about him, your namesake?
F. Emelianenko
I have read almost everything. It remains for me to read "Demons".
A. Mitrofanova
Fedor Emelianenko reads Dostoevsky.
A. Pichugin
So it's wonderful, who would have doubted ...
A. Mitrofanova
I had no doubt that this headline was born in my head.
F. Emelianenko
When I came from the army, I had a great need for the classics, I began to re-read everything avidly. Coming from the competition, I took new book, new volume. And I read a lot of literature. It was exciting, interesting. There was no craving either for modern foreign literature or for our modern literature, this empty one, but I always wanted to bury myself in the classics, and I always felt how, under the influence of our Russian literature, my way of thinking was changing, my attitude to life was changing.
A. Mitrofanova
I heard that you write very competent sms. It's most likely because you read a lot.
F. Emelianenko
It was my friend who praised me.
A. Pichugin
Were you the oldest of your brothers as a child? Did you encourage everyone to play sports?
F. Emelianenko
I must have paved the way. Everyone has his own path. Alexander, I had nowhere to go. In order not to sit with him, I always took him to training. And from the age of 7 or even from the age of 6, he was with me all the training. Where he will somersault, where the guys will show him the reception, from the age of 8 he began to play sports. And Vanya also started to study early, quite successfully. He became a master of sports in hand-to-hand combat, in combat sambo.
A. Pichugin
Why martial arts? The 70s, the dawn of hockey, our team smashes everyone.
F. Emelianenko
We followed hockey. But, probably, any boy wants to become stronger, wants to be strong, stand up for himself, first of all, the strongest in the class, the strongest among the parallel classes. And so I had the same desire. Great desire to master martial arts. I didn't even know how.
A. Mitrofanova
We decided to take everything at once, and then sort it out.
F. Emelianenko
Mom worked with my coach, he led sambo and judo sections in his spare time. And he invited her to bring me to the section. And of course, with great pleasure, with great desire, I ran. For us, sambo and judo were something special. And my first workouts were in the basement, in a bomb shelter.
A. Mitrofanova
Extreme.
A. Pichugin
The main thing was that there was where to study in Stary Oskol, I didn’t have to go to Belgorod, for example.
F. Emelianenko
I didn’t have to go to Belgorod, but I went on foot for three microdistricts.
A. Mitrofanova
What inspired you to such feats? You could sit at home, do math or drive in the yard.
F. Emelianenko
It could be. I tried not to run mathematics, to do it. And I had to drive.
A. Mitrofanova
Did you succeed?
F. Emelianenko
Not as much, of course, as much as it could. But I fell in love with the sport, coming to the first training session, I got fired up, for many years I did not miss a single training session.
A. Pichugin
Fedor Emelianenko is our guest. You are listening to the radio "Vera" we continue.
A. Mitrofanova
We continue our conversation. You mentioned your coach, the first one who managed to inspire you with his example. I wanted to ask you about the role of a coach in such sports education. How important is it?
F. Emelianenko
Very important. Because the kids look at the coach...
A. Mitrofanova
Open mouth?
F. Emelianenko
Yes, and there are moments, even periods in a child's life, when the coach has much more authority for him than the parents.
A. Mitrofanova
This is called in psychology "significant adult". Especially in transitional age.
F. Emelianenko
Before the army, it so happened that for half a year I trained children, scored a set of ten-year-olds. And it was wild for me when adult parents came to me, an 18-year-old boy, called me by my first name and patronymic and asked me to influence their child, because they don’t obey anyone except me. To improve their education.
A. Pichugin
And you're barely 18.
F. Emelianenko
No, I'm already 18.
A. Pichugin
Only just.
A. Mitrofanova
And what did you do?
F. Emelianenko
I raised my eyebrows, beckoned...
A. Mitrofanova
To appear older, more formidable.
F. Emelianenko
For them, I am Fedor Vladimirovich. For them, the authority was great. Having scolded, saying that if you don’t pull out your studies, I won’t let you go to training, after a while your parents came and thanked you.
A. Mitrofanova
That is, then at the age of 18 you already turned out to be a good teacher?
F. Emelianenko
I don't think it worked out. I had experience, and after the army, and before the army, I coached.
A. Pichugin
Did you continue in the army?
F. Emelianenko
Yes. But already independently.
A. Mitrofanova
This experience, when you are a coach and when someone trains you, what is the fundamental difference between people in relation to the process.
F. Emelianenko
When you are a coach, you are in the public eye. You are not only an authority for children, you are an example to follow. Children absorb not only the tricks, your habits, habits notice. And, of course, the coach must understand that children will take not only good, but also bad.
A. Mitrofanova
That is, in other words, the coach must take off 7 skins, do not go to the red road, and do not go to the yellow one either. Don't drink, don't smoke, right?
F. Emelianenko
Certainly.
A. Mitrofanova
F. Emelianenko
I don’t know, I lived according to my conscience and understood that little people were looking at me, who were still studying, recruiting, who, like a sponge, absorbed everything.
A. Pichugin
And now you could deal with them, would you like to?
F. Emelianenko
With kids?
A. Pichugin
F. Emelianenko
I don’t know, maybe I would like to, but I don’t have the opportunity.
A. Pichugin
Someday, maybe, work in the ministry will get tired of you, maybe it will come to an end ...
A. Mitrofanova
By the way, you know what I thought about, what a good criterion for making a decision in a given situation. If a 10-year-old child is looking at me now, what will he say? What should I do.
F. Emelianenko
I have a lot of work with youth, a lot of work not with children anymore, but with teenagers. Trainings, master classes, and communication continue in the same way. Therefore, you need to understand what I can give, what I can carry.
A. Pichugin
Tell me, Fedor, how necessary is anger in sports? In power moves when you are in the ring, should there be anger? I have always been interested in the question, here are two people entering the ring, what kind of relationship can they have outside the ring?
F. Emelianenko
Only friendly.
A. Mitrofanova
You just beat each other up and then you shake hands like "thank you man, good game"?
F. Emelianenko
A. Pichugin
And then, I'm exaggerating, of course, can you go out for a beer together?
F. Emelianenko
That's pretty much what happened. We entered the ring, we competed, measured our skills, the knowledge that we possessed, represented our countries, our homeland to some extent. And, having beaten, without any malice ... The ring is a ring, but in the ring we fought without any anger. At least I tried. And so are my rivals. As a rule, as they said later, it's just a show. If somewhere there was some kind of attack, then do not take it personally. Just treat it like a show.
A. Mitrofanova
Sports is a show?
F. Emelianenko
No, sport is sport. Not a show. Duel. I went out and tried to do the best that I can.
A. Pichugin
And the duel, what do you mean by this concept? We understand that this is what is happening, but perhaps you, as a participant in this process, put something big into the concept of a duel?
F. Emelianenko
A duel is that experience, that baggage, that many years of experience can be accommodated in these minutes that are given to you. It is best to do your job, what you have been taught, to invest all your training, loads in these minutes, but to understand that you cannot give vent to emotions, you cannot help but get angry. For me, there was never a question about some kind of anger, rather, perhaps, sports anger, there is such an expression, but this is not “sports anger”, but the ability to master oneself in order to achieve victory.
A. Pichugin
Has there never been excesses with partners outside the ring?
F. Emelianenko
I never have. God bless.
A. Mitrofanova
And there is an opinion that if you are not evil, if you do not protect yourself from the outside world in this way, then the outside world will devour you.
A. Pichugin
Fedor Emelianenko try to eat.
A. Mitrofanova
This is true. Before us is Fedor Emelianenko, and this must be borne in mind. But not all the same, how are you? What would you say to people who cannot physically stand up for themselves and defend themselves with anger.
F. Emelianenko
If to people with kindness and love, then they are to you too.
A. Mitrofanova
Why then are there such words in the Gospel that if you are slapped on one cheek, turn the other cheek? It turns out that initially they hit you with kindness, they beat you, you kindly turn your face to the other side, they beat you again.
F. Emelianenko
You know, I think that if there is an insult to you personally or some kind of injustice personally, you can survive it, swallow it, get away from the conflict. But if there are attacks on your loved one, on the country, on faith, then you can’t stand it, you need to answer.
A. Mitrofanova
You have repeatedly said in an interview and now mentioned that you are trying to do your job as well as possible. You enter the ring, do your job there, try to do it as well as possible, because since the Lord put you here, I read in an interview with Foma magazine, it means that this is the thing that you now have to do well. What is the point of this case? What meaning do you put into your struggle? If we said that the Lord set, set for some reason. For what? How do you define the highest meaning for yourself?
F. Emelianenko
There is such a sport - mixed martial arts, which I did. I represent my country in this sport. And faith, respectively. I have to go out and defend the honor of my country in this sport and faith. For what? Martial arts at all times, people were engaged in martial arts.
A. Pichugin
And what do you mean by this concept - to defend the faith in the ring? You go out, say, for example, against a wrestler from Serbia, an Orthodox country...
F. Emelianenko
I didn’t go out against the Serb brothers, it didn’t work out, firstly. Secondly, I would not go out on principle. I'm even against our fighters, I've never fought against the Russians. If any qualifying competitions- Yes, I competed with our guys at the Russian Combat SAMBO Championships to earn a ticket to the World Championships.
A. Pichugin
Was it something more for you?
F. Emelianenko
And there I am already a representative of my country, my homeland.
A. Mitrofanova
I want to ask a clarifying question. If you, an Orthodox person, win in the ring over a Catholic or a Muslim, does this mean that you have thus established your faith? It's a sport. It's a little different. Correct me.
F. Emelianenko
For me, I still go out to play for Russia, and before leaving I ask God's help. Everyone knows, not everyone, with my life I try to cling to the Lord Jesus Christ. And, in principle, many people know this.
A. Pichugin
When you came to the Church, did you have any conflicts with what you do? Power martial arts and Christian values?
F. Emelianenko
Thank God no. Because in my life I immediately came across people of spiritual life who were able to explain to me that there is no contradiction here.
A. Mitrofanova
Can you give examples in some everyday situations, how did the people who instructed you advise you to behave? Suppose you wanted to do one thing, they told you: no, you need to do something else. As a rule, when you come to a temple, your consciousness begins to change, you realize that you can do this and that.
F. Emelianenko
You know, in many issues I changed... Not in many issues did my worldview change, because when I came to the temple, my conscience worked in a different way. What is good, what is bad, I understood even before I came to the temple, when the Lord touched the soul. I didn't have much of a problem like that. I always understood that at all times we had warriors, Orthodox warriors, at all times there was a martial art, we always had to stand up for our family and our homeland. I went to study martial arts in order to become stronger, for the sake of these goals.
A. Pichugin
Visiting radio "Vera" Fedor Emelianenko, we will return to you soon.
A. Pichugin
Hello, friends! Alla Mitrofanova, I, Alexey Pichugin, are on the air of Vera radio, we greet you. And we are pleased to introduce our guest: today Fedor Emelianenko is the guest of the Bright Evening program.
A. Mitrofanova
Which really needs no introduction. I can hardly imagine a person who would not know you. In the previous part of our program, you openly called yourself an Orthodox Christian and you say that for you the defense of the Orthodox faith, the affirmation of the Orthodox faith is one of life's priorities, if I convey everything correctly.
F. Emelianenko
You know, I would really like to match the name of an Orthodox Christian.
A. Mitrofanova
Do you have doubts that this is so?
F. Emelianenko
No. According to my faith, yes, I have no doubt that there are falls in life, I try with all my soul to cling to the Lord.
A. Mitrofanova
I think you once said, after the defeat in 2010, that we need falls in order to get up and move on. Yes? It turns out that this is a very universal principle, suitable not only for the ring.
F. Emelianenko
To some extent, yes. But you can't fall on purpose. Both in life and in spiritual life. You always have to fight, try your best not to fall. And there already, if the Lord allows, then you need to accept it as it is.
A. Pichugin
I would like to go back a little in our conversation. I'm listening to you and I have a question. Have you ever dreamed of choosing a military path for yourself, and not a sports one?
F. Emelianenko
When we finished our previous part of the conversation...
A. Pichugin
Even then I wanted to clarify this.
F. Emelianenko
I had thoughts when I was a child. For every boy of my time, we dreamed of being policemen, astronauts, and military men.
A. Pichugin
You speak very beautifully about the protection of values that are close to every person ...
A. Mitrofanova
Not pretty, but accurate.
F. Emelianenko
You know, my parents raised me, and my father always said, and my mother brought me up in love for the Motherland, and my father always said that in his time, those who did not go to the army, girls laughed at that.
A. Pichugin
And choose as a matter of life, as a profession?
F. Emelianenko
No, because... Growing up, I wanted to go in for sports. There was a moment when it was a hard time, but my parents supported me, helped me, and I got results. The moment when you had to leave, or get some kind of profession, or go through the sport to the end ...
A. Pichugin
Is the material component important in sports? We hear all the time about footballers getting...
A. Mitrofanova
Which are being sold. It feels as if we are talking about gladiators, and not free people.
A. Pichugin
And at the same time I hear Soviet sports veterans who say: “But we didn’t play for money, but for a rhombus, for a square, for the symbol of the club ...” And modern athletes, it turns out, play for money. And they, of course, also stood for money, but now this material component, it turns out, prevails?
F. Emelianenko
If you are a rich person, don't put your hearts on money. Money should not be the main thing. The main thing should be the spiritual and moral values that are in every person.
A. Mitrofanova
What to do with money? A lot of money is sometimes difficult to combine, I want to make indulgences for myself ...
F. Emelianenko
Money must be properly managed.
A. Mitrofanova
How right?
F. Emelianenko
Therefore, you need to educate your children so that from childhood they already feel responsible, not only for the money that they earn, but also feel responsible for the proper disposal of funds. They understood that there were those in need nearby, that, let’s say, you couldn’t stuff them into your womb.
A. Mitrofanova
How do you feel about the idea that you own what is yours, only what you gave away? I heard this idea many times from people who do charity work, donate their money to others.
F. Emelianenko
It's probably right. This expresses the gospel commandment.
A. Pichugin
You started in the 90s when the sport was poor. And you started playing sports far away from the capital. What helped you then? I understand that at that time you were not yet a deeply churched person, and the Gospel was not a guide for you. But you didn't quit, did you?
F. Emelianenko
My relatives helped me. Family. Parents. And the correct view of the coach, the correct direction of the coach. He managed to convince me, managed to direct. I had a moment when I could leave the sport, go to the factory, to the usual profession, I graduated as an electrician, and I have a rank as a welder. But still, in this difficult time, I was supported by the coach and my relatives and friends. And then the result started, I went to the Russian national team, later I switched to fighting ... Faced with a financial problem, the problem of refereeing in our federations, I switched to fighting. Where it is difficult to sue, and where the funds began to receive.
A. Mitrofanova
I hear about your path in sports, about the role of a coach, again. How important is such a category as obedience for an athlete? The coach says something, it seems to you that it is beyond your power, but you go and do it. Obedience. How applicable is this category in sports? Or is she just brought up in sports, and how applicable is it in spiritual life?
F. Emelianenko
I would say that the first years of training are, of course, only obedience.
A. Mitrofanova
No riot?
A. Pichugin
And then is it possible?
F. Emelianenko
Bunt - no. I long years with my trainers, never changed them, never pushed them away, they always walked with me in parallel, always ... We are already like one family. Conducting some kind of training, they sent me to Holland to learn a Thai boxing school there, I trained in Yekaterinburg, and in Tula, I was in many places, but always, even if my coach was not around, I knew that he was worried about me , is sick of me. After going through a collection of several weeks, I returned, we chewed all this information.
A. Pichugin
Do you continue to associate with the people who guided you through life from the very beginning?
F. Emelianenko
Certainly. And now my coaches continue to educate the guys with whom I trained. I went down, but the guys fight, win, become world champions. We maintain warm, friendly relations. A coach is like family. The only thing the coach must understand is that if the student outgrows him, he must be able to ...
A. Pichugin
Recognize it?
F. Emelianenko
No. Any person understands... If there is an opportunity for growth, he should let it go if necessary. And the coach must, if the athlete grows up to the level of the coach, then it’s already going on here ... Obedience can be in loads, do more, faster, longer. If the coach must understand that if an athlete has reached his level, then there is no longer a coach - a pupil, but an exchange of information. That is, the coach must hear his pupil both in terms of workload and well-being, and somewhere agree with his decision during training.
A. Mitrofanova
Give him freedom so that he feels like a free person, but a kind of slave who blindly obeys instructions.
F. Emelianenko
The initial years of training, when you need to put everything that you know into it, this is necessary, obedience is necessary. And when an athlete grows up and begins to walk independently, think in sports, then he must be given the opportunity to move on his own.
A. Mitrofanova
But how did it happen, sorry, I want to return to this most important question for our program, how did it happen that you became a believer? Why did you come to the temple? What did you understand that Christianity is your path for you?
F. Emelianenko
I asked a lot of questions of faith, questions of being.
A. Mitrofanova
Since childhood?
F. Emelianenko
Since childhood. I came across the Gospel in front of the army. I read, but I did not read it the way it should be read, but lying on the couch. I didn't have such a mentor. Perhaps this was my path. My mother always raised me, she said that the Lord God exists, but we did not go to church. This happened later. I had a lot of questions, I was surrounded by a few pagan friends. There were many questions. I was drawn to Orthodoxy. Later it happened that I ended up in Diveevo. In the monastery, the fourth inheritance of the Most Holy Theotokos. And we had a wonderful guide, plus everything was, there is Archdeacon Andrei, with whom we are friends to this day. They managed to convey to me the life of the holy ascetics. And it was as if a veil had fallen from my eyes and from my heart. And already from the monastery, having venerated the relics of the saints, Father Seraphim, I already left a different person. My conscience is completely different.
A. Pichugin
Fedor Emelianenko visiting the program "Bright Evening" on radio "Vera".
A. Mitrofanova
You know what else I really want to talk to you about. Again, on the pages of the magazine "Foma" there was recently such a topic "Where did the real men disappear?" When they thought about this issue, both men and women remembered you, cited you as an example, they said, well, how did they disappear, we have Fedor Emelianenko. I would like to ask you about this. How do you determine for yourself who a real man is?
F. Emelianenko
The Lord laid the man strong start. A woman marries, she becomes a husband. But a man is both a breadwinner for the family and a protector of the family, this is a strong beginning, authority. It turns out, a tautology, but a man must be courageous.
A. Mitrofanova
What does it mean?
F. Emelianenko
What I told you. This is the responsibility for one's family, this is the provision, protection of the family, being an example for one's family.
A. Mitrofanova
You know, you talk about it so easily, I understand that it happens, but for some reason we have so many other examples.
A. Pichugin
Why is this happening?
A. Mitrofanova
Drinking people, or not drinking, but those who put their comfort above ...
A. Pichugin
They usually say that the time is like this, the state is bad, everything is bad, but we are not to blame, the peasants say ...
F. Emelianenko
Probably because we are looking for a problem outside, but it turns out to be inside. That is, not the state, not the rulers are bad, not the alcohol is bad, but the problem is in us. And the Lord says: wine gladdens the heart of man; drink, but do not get drunk. Therefore, if a person knows such a problem behind him, then it is better not to use it at all. The problem is not external, but internal.
A. Mitrofanova
It's not only about alcohol, it's about, in principle, what ... You say, responsibility, a lot of things are just the opposite now, when people are trying to get away from it and just comfortably, without worrying about anything, arrange their lives, so that no one touches them.
F. Emelianenko
To change the world, you need to change yourself.
A. Mitrofanova
How hard can it be...
F. Emelianenko
A. Pichugin
It's also about family and work. Last but not least, work.
F. Emelianenko
In fact of the matter. Before you can change the world, you must change yourself. If you want to change the attitude of relatives, friends, work friends, change yourself. If you come to work drunk, you will not be trusted, you will simply be fired. And if you are a reliable worker, reliable, hardworking, you will probably be expected to be promoted.
A. Mitrofanova
And if you are a reliable, hardworking employee at work, and at home your self-esteem grows to such an extent that it doesn’t seem enough, everyone around shouts guard, but formally, outwardly, everything is fine, such and such things, how to notice in yourself? Alcohol is an obvious problem, but with such things as pride, vanity, with such errors that only you yourself can see, and you try to close your eyes to it.
F. Emelianenko
Perhaps we need to understand that we are under the gaze of God.
A. Mitrofanova
Good words. We walk under God. In other words, constantly feel the gaze of Christ on you?
F. Emelianenko
Not to some extent, but just like that.
A. Mitrofanova
Dostoevsky, by the way, had a good wording. If I have doubts about how to act in this or that situation, I think, what would Christ do in my place?
F. Emelianenko
Yes. Therefore, it is important to educate children in order to teach them to distinguish between good and evil from childhood. And that he had no choice what to do. Good must so enter into this permanent life, this virtue must be performed constantly. Bring it to the point where a child, a person does not have a question to do well or badly, to steal or not to steal. No, by no means, it is unnatural for me, sin for a person should be unnatural. That's why...
A. Pichugin
In one of your interviews in the Foma magazine, you said that it is easier for people who are seriously involved in sports to come to God. And why?
F. Emelianenko
You know, because they don't get sucked into the imaginary joys of life. A person involved in sports gets used to discipline from childhood, gets used to work, diligence from childhood. And the athlete often finds himself in a stressful situation - a competition. Any person in a stressful situation, in a difficult situation, resorts to prayer, to God, to a request. And an athlete is more likely to be in such situations than ordinary people. We have competitions many times a year, sometimes a month, but it's still a hard experience. Like an exam for a student.
A. Mitrofanova
Good analogy.
F. Emelianenko
Shaking.
A. Pichugin
Have you had to communicate with colleagues with whom you entered the ring, are there many believers among them?
F. Emelianenko
There are such.
A. Pichugin
Is there, are there or are there many?
F. Emelianenko
You know, we didn't have questions about faith. Brazilian fighters came up to me and thanked me for my attitude to faith.
A. Mitrofanova
Do they know about it?
F. Emelianenko
They probably got interviews.
A. Pichugin
Those who are close to this are interested and know that Fedor is a church-going person.
A. Mitrofanova
When we started a conversation in this studio, we mentioned Dostoevsky, and it turned out that you were re-reading him. Have you read The Brothers Karamazov, re-read it? How do you feel about him?
Do you have any favorite heroes, characters, thoughts that you remember, maybe?
F. Emelianenko
Elder Zosima and Alyosha Karamazov. Elder Zosima is the holiness of man. As far as I know, Dostoevsky painted it in the image of Ambrose of Optinsky...
A. Mitrofanova
And other Optina elders, a collective image.
F. Emelianenko
Alyosha is a person in whom there is light, first of all, his non-judgment, his correct perception, of course, he has a struggle, a spiritual struggle, strong experiences, he tries to accept everything without judgment and with love.
A. Mitrofanova
Are there people in your environment who lovingly, without judgment, try to accept what life sends them?
F. Emelianenko
Thank God there is.
A. Mitrofanova
What a lucky person you are. I think that there are many such people, the main thing is to be able to notice who is around you.
F. Emelianenko
I agree with you. Probably, it is necessary to notice the good in people and try to bring goodness and love to people. And people will respond the same way.
A. Pichugin
What is your main commandment?
F. Emelianenko
The main commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind...
A. Mitrofanova
And neighbor as yourself. The second one is similar.
F. Emelianenko
Yes everything is correct. On these two commandments, as the Lord said, everything is built.
A. Mitrofanova
Is it easy to implement them in real life?
F. Emelianenko
Much easier than living not according to these two commandments.
A. Pichugin
Is it easier?
F. Emelianenko
Sometimes it is very difficult to react to human negative facts, moments that arise. It is easier to get away from the conflict and not to spread evil at all, not to react to evil, than to throw something out. And then you will be so tormented by conscience for your action, not for what happened to you, but for your own, you worry much more than you get.
A. Mitrofanova
The more you love, the more you get a feedback of the same nature. It's great.
F. Emelianenko
I understand, not me, but we all probably understand that it is very difficult to fight with your inner self, first of all.
A. Mitrofanova
Good words. Fighting your inner self is the main task of every person. It has been traced for 2000 years, nothing has fundamentally changed since then. The most difficult. As everyone came to Christ and said: give a miracle, give bread, this, that. And he said: the greatest miracle is the change of a person's heart.
F. Emelianenko
I completely agree with you. It is the attitude towards people. You can fall, you can stumble, but always try your best...
A. Pichugin
Without it, nowhere...
F. Emelianenko
Yes. But there must be a spiritual struggle, and we must try with all our being to cling to the Lord God. From here we will have the appropriate actions.
A. Mitrofanova
Fedor, tell me, is it true that there is a computer game in which one of the characters is a character that personifies you?
F. Emelianenko
In America, they released such a game, one of the fighters. I always say that I don't play computer games. It seems to me that there should be a more interesting pastime, it is better to devote time to friends and family than to sit at the monitor and waste your time.
A. Mitrofanova
Thank you very much, golden words. It was the Bright Evening program. Alexey Pichugin, I'm Alla Mitrofanova, Fedor Emelianenko was our guest, for which many, many thanks to him.
F. Emelianenko
Thank you.
A. Pichugin
Fedor Emelianenko is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. Many major publications have recognized Emelianenko as the best heavyweight fighter in the world over the past ten years.
In addition to the fact that Fedor won victories with many eminent fighters, he also won numerous tournaments in different types martial arts, among which the most outstanding are the PRIDE Grand Prix, the world championships in combat sambo (four times) and the Russian judo championships. Fedor is a sports idol for hundreds of thousands of teenagers not only in Russia but also abroad. Japanese fans for sports achivments and the noble qualities of the soul dubbed him the nickname "The Last Emperor."
Fedor, you are a believer. How does faith in God fit with your sport, where aggressiveness is manifested?
I have no aggression in the ring. I go out and try to clearly do everything I can. Although many things have been worked out to automatism, first of all, during the battle, I think. In 2009, Fedor Emelianenko won the Russian Sambo Championship, spending a total of 41 seconds on three opponents Because the battle is won not only by the one who is stronger, but often by the one who is smarter, because the main thing in the ring is to think. Faith in God is not just bowing to something, it is the meaning of our life, we must live it, and not just combine some qualities of a Christian. You need to increase your spirituality. I enter the ring and I am not angry, not aggressive. I fight because I am an athlete, this is my job.
Like any athlete, you probably have days in which there is no motivation to train. What are you doing at this time?
I don't have days when I don't want to train. This is my favorite thing that I do, my job, my favorite pastime.
What qualities do you value most in people? How do you, with your popularity, manage to remain such a modest person?
In people, I appreciate kindness and love for others, the ability to remain a decent person in any situation. Being a decent person and helping loved ones is probably the most important thing today.
What book are you currently reading?
And the answer to the second question is obvious: what qualities I appreciate in people, I try to be like that myself. I respect modesty and learn it.
How does your wife feel about your passion for martial arts?
Thank God it's good. She is understanding and always supports me. It is, of course, very difficult for her, she is going through, even, probably, suffering from what is happening in the ring. But she understands that this is my choice. And, as a loving wife, she believes that this is not only mine, but ours with her in common.
In a family, someone should always be the head, are you inferior to your spouse, or are you also the “avant-garde” in family relationships?
We discuss our affairs together, some decisions, I listen to my wife's point of view, she listens to mine, but the last word is always mine. As a rule, I make decisions, because I am a man and the head of the family.
How are your daughters doing? How do you spend your free time with them?
Thank God my family is fine. Senior Mashenka finished academic year. And the youngest Vasilisa is a kindergarten. In our free time we go to the cinema and go for walks. The older one likes to take me to the toy store, and the younger one to the amusement park. She loves walking, playing in the sandbox, watching cartoons together and going to the temple.
What do you do sports for?
I compete and win because I understand that I am a representative of my country, who represents Combat Sambo and mixed martial arts in the international arena. 
I go out and try to adequately represent Russia in this field. It is very unpleasant for me when you hear that somewhere in some country Russian people behaved not quite appropriately. When communicating with foreigners, you hear such words as "vodka" - that's all they know about us.
Therefore, you are trying to change the attitude towards the Russian people, and of course, so that people think that in such a tough sport you can remain human. In life, one should try to strive for good: not to talk about the revival of faith, but to revive it; not to talk about the rise of morality and spirituality, but to strive for yourself, to go to the temple, to confess. And then everything works out for us: beautiful words, but no actions. I want people to think.
How do you feel about the proverb: "God loves a trinity"? Didn't she scare you after two defeats?
I don't think this saying applies to my case. But even the most bad result can't kill my faith. I will always talk about it. The Lord does not punish those he does not love.
Did defeat affect self-confidence? Did you get something out of them?
Didn't influence at all. In sports, anyone can lose. If the Lord allows me trials, they must be passed. I am doubly grateful to God for these defeats.
But do you still have the strength and desire to continue training, go to fights? Or do you want to devote more time to your family?
I spend my entire adult life in training and being in sports. Faith in God is not just bowing to something, it is the meaning of our life, we must live it, and not just combine some qualities of a Christian Of course, I would like to perform more. Of course, I will train. And, God forbid, I will continue fighting. But we will see it. My first priority is faith. On the second - the family thanks to which I live. Work and everything else is also important. But now I want to go home as soon as possible. I really miss my daughters.
Many consider you a legend. When you look back, what do you think about at that moment?
I never considered myself a legend. I am a simple person who was lucky enough to achieve some success in sports.
How has military service influenced your life and career? Do you consider this time lost for yourself, or, on the contrary, did you gain something for it?
My father taught me this: whoever did not serve in the army is defective, and the girls do not pay attention to him. I was brought up in love for the motherland, for Russia, and therefore I considered serving in the army a very important thing. And he went into the army voluntarily, with great desire. I consider the service best years own life. During her time, I grew stronger, matured, learned obedience and endure adversity. He left the army as a young man and returned as a man. It is a pity that now many young people do not serve, that their life orientations are changing. Many want to stay at home, and there - drinking, drug addiction. Many say: "I need to study at the institute." Well, go and serve and learn. I think that a year of service, as it is now, is not so much. To give only one year to the Motherland, to learn something, to find new friends, in my opinion, is simply necessary.
What do you think will happen in 2012 that will radically change the world and will facilitate the transition of humanity to the spiritual path of development?
And why exactly in 2012? If we are talking about the predicted end of the world, then, as Jesus Christ said, no one knows when the end of the world will be, even the angels do not know, only the Father knows. It is necessary not to talk about the rise of morality and spirituality, but to strive for yourself, to go to the temple, to confess. And then everything works out for us: beautiful words, but no actions And I don't even know what should happen for spiritual uplift. Unfortunately, today everything that is far from spirituality, everything that lulls conscience is being intensively promoted. What can we talk about if debauchery, corruption, drunkenness, cruelty are promoted on every channel ... And we remember the promotion of sports only in case of failure. How was it on Olympic Games, For example. But remember these problems for a short time ...
Do you understand your meaning of life? What is your mission here on Earth?
The meaning of life is clear. It is to prepare yourself for the next one. As a Christian, I try to live according to the commandments, help and treat my neighbors with understanding. As Father Seraphim said, "acquire the spiritual spirit." It is necessary to get rid of bad habits, sins, harmful passions and grow spiritually.
All-Russian newspaper "Living Faith"
