Russian television commentator and sports journalist Dmitry Guberniev has described his second-place position in a public trust survey of Russian sports figures as fair, speaking in an interview with digital sports outlet Sport24.
Guberniev stated that the top two spots in the national public trust ranking should ironcladly belong to himself and ice hockey player Alexander Ovechkin. He said that both of them live in unison with the country and enjoy broad, continuous support from Russian viewers.
Guberniev is one of the most recognizable media personalities in Russian sports television, having served for decades as a lead commentator on national networks for winter sports, Olympic games, and major athletic competitions. Ovechkin is a star ice hockey winger and team captain for the Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League, recognized internationally as one of the sport's all-time leading goal scorers. Sport24 is a major Russian online sports news publication based in Moscow.
The commentator pointed out that he had experienced audience trust firsthand during his professional travels across the country, specifically highlighting his attendance at domestic biathlon competitions in Chuvashia. The Chuvash Republic is a regional federal entity of Russia located along the Volga River, which routinely hosts national winter sports championships, biathlon trials, and youth athletic events.
Assessment of football figures
Guberniev also shared his perspective on why other prominent football figures appeared in the trust ranking. He attributed the inclusion of striker Artem Dzyuba to the ongoing media visibility of the player and the long-term public resonance of the FIFA World Cup. He added that the success of football manager Leonid Slutsky in the poll was driven by Slutsky's active involvement in entertainment television shows and the high volume of news coverage surrounding him.
Dzyuba is a prominent Russian striker who led the national team's attack during the 2018 FIFA World Cup hosted by Russia, where the host nation reached the quarter-finals. Slutsky, a former head coach of the Russia national team and Moscow club CSKA, has since transitioned into popular culture as a media personality, comedy show host, and online commentator.
Opinions on top hockey talent
The comments on the public trust poll follow earlier remarks by Guberniev concerning the premier talent in Russian ice hockey. The commentator previously refused to label Ovechkin as the top star of Russian hockey, instead identifying Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov as the finest Russian hockey player.
Kucherov plays in North America's National Hockey League for Florida's Tampa Bay Lightning, where he has earned prestigious individual awards including the Hart Memorial Trophy and Art Ross Trophy as well as back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Guberniev's evaluations reflect his ongoing involvement in shaping public sports discourse across television and digital platforms in Russia.
