Irina Rodnina, the three time Olympic figure skating gold medalist and Russian MP who helped light the cauldron at the opening ceremony of the Sochi Games, continues to be the subject of controversy. Rodnina had been accused of tweeting a “shockingly racist picture” of the Obamas last year. The tweet had been deleted but screen shots are still out there.
Rodnina today claimed the tweet was the result of her Twitter account being hacked:
I respect the Obama family and apologize for not clearly stating earlier that I don't support the tweeted photo or racism in any form. (1/2)
— Irina Rodnina (@IRodnina) February 10, 2014
https://twitter.com/IRodnina/status/432894990587817984
For the most part, people aren’t buying the “hacked” claim:
@IRodnina "My account was hacked…" Directly out of the @anthonyweiner playbook. @EvgenyFeldman
— Мaureen Francis (@MaureenFrancis) February 10, 2014
@IRodnina @chucktodd that lame excuse didn't work for Anthony Weiner, either!
— Marty Hisington, a Human Being (@Trackerinblue) February 10, 2014
@IRodnina you can't expect anyone to believe you.
— Sherry Stern ✈️ ?⚾️✌? (@sherrystern) February 10, 2014
https://twitter.com/eduardogsr1990/status/432968229800009728
Nonsense. RT @IRodnina: My account was hacked and I should have shown better judgement in my initial response and handling of the event.
— Matthew Lumby #Lockdown (@MatthewLumby) February 10, 2014
Recommended
https://twitter.com/MattMinerXVX/status/432901910522503168
https://twitter.com/RealMattKane/status/432958313634856960
@RealMattKane @IRodnina it does seem like a surprising number of hackers just go in to make a single racist tweet & then return the account
— charlie kubal (@ckubal) February 10, 2014
Previously, Rodnina had defended herself against criticism of the tweet she now claims was due to a hacker by saying “freedom of speech is freedom of speech.”
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