Home
Fedor Emelianenko and his brother Aleksander are not happy with the Russian television company NTV following the making and recent broadcast of a documentary which tried to paint the pair as thugs and some kind of right-wing fascists. The documentary aired late March but the repercussions are ongoing.
According to Fedor, the program-makers used very selective editing of sound bites and film clips to create a certain image. Aleksander is so unhappy with his portrayal in the program that he is suing the station, his brother says. Fedor says the interview was arranged under false pretences and the resulting footage carefully edited to make him out as a right-wing nationalist.
During filming, Fedor was asked if he was a “sectarian killer” and how he could partake is such a “bloody, violent sport” if he is truly “a soldier of Christ". It was put to him that he is known as “a butcher” and “the killer” by his fans around the world.
“In my opinion the NTV work was just shameless, they have no respect for religious people or conscience. When we were the arranging the interview with NTV, I was assured that the program will be about today's youth, and aimed at youth who have lost their way and are standing at a crossroads in life,” he said.
“Representatives of the channel said that the younger generation are steeped in alcohol, drugs, debauchery and cruelty and that I am, supposedly, an example for these children so they (NTV) had decided to ask me for help in combating these negative phenomena. Questions were asked during the filming about my attitude to underground youth movements (skinheads, for example, Satanists and others), to drug addiction, alcoholism. They asked what I made of the situation, and then edited it all in such a way that it made me look like some sectarian killer.”
Fedor cannot understand why he was presented as having legions of bloodthirsty fans who know him as a “butcher” for his exploits in the MMA arena. “Wherever I have been, in whatever country in spoke, never and nowhere - none of the channels, nor in the press - have I ever been referred to as a "murderer" or "butcher". I have never had any nickname. With PRIDE the Japanese called me ‘The Last Emperor’ until I pointed out that the last emperor of Russia was and remains, Nicholas II. Since then I was not called it so much,”
A strong believer in the Russian Orthodox faith, something he has immersed himself in more deeply in the last few years, Fedor is a regular churchgoer. But in the documentary he was portrayed as attending an abnormal amount of church services weekly. The image created was of a hardline white supremacist and Christian fundamentalist.
“In the editing it was made out that I go to church more than I go to training. Although I do go to church, I go only on Saturday for an evening worship service and Sunday at the Divine Liturgy, which I explained in the interview. I am also puzzled by the claim that apparently condemn my brother Alexander for “being a skinhead” this is an absolute lie and Aleksander is currently suing NTV,” Fedor commented.
He says the whole experience has been hurtful and confusing. “To be honest, it is not clear for what purpose NTV turned everything upside down. If this is the pursuit of ratings and cheap, artificially created sensations, well… after this, I think I have lost any desire to talk to the press.”
During the program, the Emelianenko brothers’ links with Roman Zentsov were also brought up. Zentsov makes no secret of his fascist and nationalist views and has in the past publicly called for all non-Slavic people in Russia to be rounded up and either exterminated or forced to leave. Zentsov was part of Red Devil Fight Team for some time but is there no longer.
The program portrayed Fedor and Zentsov as close friends but Fedor says that is not the case. “Honestly, we've lost touch with Roman, he walked away from our team, from me, from the coaches. He has his own life. I have not heard any fascist slogans from Roman but what he did says was we (the Slavic people) should “join together in a fist”, which is slightly like fascism ... Roman’s views on life, I absolutely do not endorse.”
I think we all know Fedor isn't a Nazi,he's a mobster
According to Fedor, the program-makers used very selective editing of sound bites and film clips to create a certain image. Aleksander is so unhappy with his portrayal in the program that he is suing the station, his brother says. Fedor says the interview was arranged under false pretences and the resulting footage carefully edited to make him out as a right-wing nationalist.
During filming, Fedor was asked if he was a “sectarian killer” and how he could partake is such a “bloody, violent sport” if he is truly “a soldier of Christ". It was put to him that he is known as “a butcher” and “the killer” by his fans around the world.
“In my opinion the NTV work was just shameless, they have no respect for religious people or conscience. When we were the arranging the interview with NTV, I was assured that the program will be about today's youth, and aimed at youth who have lost their way and are standing at a crossroads in life,” he said.
“Representatives of the channel said that the younger generation are steeped in alcohol, drugs, debauchery and cruelty and that I am, supposedly, an example for these children so they (NTV) had decided to ask me for help in combating these negative phenomena. Questions were asked during the filming about my attitude to underground youth movements (skinheads, for example, Satanists and others), to drug addiction, alcoholism. They asked what I made of the situation, and then edited it all in such a way that it made me look like some sectarian killer.”
Fedor cannot understand why he was presented as having legions of bloodthirsty fans who know him as a “butcher” for his exploits in the MMA arena. “Wherever I have been, in whatever country in spoke, never and nowhere - none of the channels, nor in the press - have I ever been referred to as a "murderer" or "butcher". I have never had any nickname. With PRIDE the Japanese called me ‘The Last Emperor’ until I pointed out that the last emperor of Russia was and remains, Nicholas II. Since then I was not called it so much,”
A strong believer in the Russian Orthodox faith, something he has immersed himself in more deeply in the last few years, Fedor is a regular churchgoer. But in the documentary he was portrayed as attending an abnormal amount of church services weekly. The image created was of a hardline white supremacist and Christian fundamentalist.
“In the editing it was made out that I go to church more than I go to training. Although I do go to church, I go only on Saturday for an evening worship service and Sunday at the Divine Liturgy, which I explained in the interview. I am also puzzled by the claim that apparently condemn my brother Alexander for “being a skinhead” this is an absolute lie and Aleksander is currently suing NTV,” Fedor commented.
He says the whole experience has been hurtful and confusing. “To be honest, it is not clear for what purpose NTV turned everything upside down. If this is the pursuit of ratings and cheap, artificially created sensations, well… after this, I think I have lost any desire to talk to the press.”
During the program, the Emelianenko brothers’ links with Roman Zentsov were also brought up. Zentsov makes no secret of his fascist and nationalist views and has in the past publicly called for all non-Slavic people in Russia to be rounded up and either exterminated or forced to leave. Zentsov was part of Red Devil Fight Team for some time but is there no longer.
The program portrayed Fedor and Zentsov as close friends but Fedor says that is not the case. “Honestly, we've lost touch with Roman, he walked away from our team, from me, from the coaches. He has his own life. I have not heard any fascist slogans from Roman but what he did says was we (the Slavic people) should “join together in a fist”, which is slightly like fascism ... Roman’s views on life, I absolutely do not endorse.”
I think we all know Fedor isn't a Nazi,he's a mobster
