As Ukraine imposes further quarantine restrictions to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, one of the first quarantine violators has gone viral online.
On the morning of April 6, Kyiv police detained a weightlifter who decided to swim across the Dnipro River to access his favorite workout site.
According to the latest restrictions, Ukrainians are now forbidden to visit parks, beaches and other outdoor sites. That includes Trukhaniv Ostriv, an island in the Dnipro that features, amongst other things, an outdoor gym.
On April 6, as the restrictions came into force, police blocked a group of weightlifters from crossing the Venetsiysky Bridge and accessing the island.
After that, one particularly enterprising weightlifter stripped down to a speedo and decided to swim roughly 50 meters to the island. But when he arrived on shore, he was met by 10 police officers, who detained him and took him down to the station.
While the man was ultimately unable to train on the island, a video of his swim broadcast by the NewsOne TV channel sparked amused reactions and memes on Ukrainian social media. Some even dubbed the man “the country’s new sex symbol.”
NewsOne journalist Bogdan Aminov called an image of the man swimming across the river “the photo of the day.” Natalia Malkogon, the deputy head of the Kyiv Metro, said she couldn’t believe her eyes. Other memes mimicked the phrasing of advertisements for vacation tour packages, listing the fine he is likely to face, over $620 (Hr 17,000), as the cost of the trip.
The weightlifter was trying to reach Kachalka, one of the capital’s top spots for athletes. The iconic outdoor gym, made from old metal and tires, allows Kyivans to train for free.
On April 3, the Ukrainian government announced new quarantine measures. Amongst other restrictions, all parks, recreation sites, forests and coastal areas would be closed to visitors starting on April 6. According to the government decree, individual visitors could still access these sites, provided they were walking a pet alone.
The new restrictions also require all people to wear face masks outside and ban people from gathering in public places in groups of more than two, unless they are accompanying children. They also require all people to carry identification documents when outside the home.
Body builders were particularly unhappy with the decision. On April 6, they staged a small protest demanding continued access to Kachalka, arguing that the gym is too far from the river to be considered a coastal space and that it is not a park. Two activists were arrested.
Earlier, on April 2, an unknown weightlifter attacked journalists from the ZIK television channel who tried to film bodybuilders training at the outdoor gym.
