Russian international Fridzon begs thieves to return his Olympic bronze medal

Vitaliy Fridzon.(AFP Photo /Mark Ralston)

Russian basketball international Vitaly Fridzon has been the victim of a burglary after thieves stole his Olympic bronze medal which he won with team Russia in London.

The 26 year old forward told police on Monday that his home just outside Moscow was broken into while he was out, and the thieves took watches, a laptop, a camera an iPad, and his Olympic medal.

Fridzon hopes the thieves will return the London 2012 award.

“I know that according to the IOC rules, it’s not allowed to make copies of Olympic medals. This award is the most precious for me and I very much hope it will be returned,” the Khimki basketball club captain told the Sport-Express paper.

Also, the thieves took away Fridzon's Medal of the Order of Merit for the Motherland which he was awarded by Russian government on August 13 for his performance in the Olympics. However, this one can be reissued.

The last year’s runners-up in the Russian Professional Basketball League, Khimki, have published an official statement on their website.

“For you (the club addressed the thieves) an Olympic medal is just an illicit gain, while it’s a souvenir of the whole Vitaly’s life,” it read, also asking the wrongdoers to return the medal to Vitaly.

Rt.com