Russian speedskater apologizes for flashing middle fingers after team pursuit win vs. USA

Russian speedskater Daniil Aldoshkin has apologized after he flashed his middle fingers Tuesday following a win against the United States in the men's team pursuit semifinals. 

Aldoshkin, 20, let loose a double-bird shortly after he crossed the finish line with teammates Ruslan Zakharov and Sergey Trofimov in Olympic-record time to defeat Team USA. The win punched the Russians' ticket to the gold medal race and guaranteed a medal in the event at the Beijing Winter Olympics. 

“I threw up my hands, I have the first medal, the first Olympics," RT.com reported Aldoshkin as saying. "I didn't mean anything like that. I'm sorry if this offended anyone.”

Russian Skating Union president Alexei Kravtsov also apologized for Aldoshkin's actions but also defended the young athlete, saying his display was "an outburst of emotion." 

“Emotions took over at the finish line, there was no subtext in this action," Kravtsov said, via RT. "We are sorry if someone differently perceived this situation and (it) offended someone. On behalf of the Russian Skating Union, we offer our official apologies.”

Zakharov, the 34-year-old veteran of the Russian team who owns an Olympic gold medal in the 5,000-meter relay from 2014, said Aldoshkin's reaction was not meant to be disrespectful but instead was a celebration of their record-setting accomplishment in the race. 

“In speed skating, we fight against time, not against an opponent. It was purely an emotional reaction,” Zakharov said, via RT. 

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Russia lost to Norway in the A final and claimed silver in the event. The U.S. team of Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman and Joey Mantia – the latter of whom swapped in for Ethan Cepuran for the B final – earned bronze by defeating the Netherlands.