Russian Runners on Kiss: 'Someone's Sick Fantasies'

It was the kiss seen 'round the world: Russian runners Ksenia Ryzhova and Yulia Guschina seemed to touch lips twice while kissing each other on the cheek on Saturday, first after managing to beat the US team to take gold in the 400m relay at the World Athletics Championships, then again on the winners podium. Speculation erupted: The blatant kisses were a protest against Russia's anti-gay law! Now the women have spoken. Ryzhova tells the Guardian it had nothing to do with gay rights (and didn't share her thoughts on the subject). What the women focused on in their comments was the "sick fantasies" borne from their moment of joy.

• Says Ryzhova: "Both me and Yulia are married. If anyone cares, unfortunately, we have no relationship ... We haven't won gold for eight years and you cannot imagine what it was like when we won. If we touched our lips by accident while celebrating, then, I am sorry to say, it is someone's sick fantasies. It is not at all nice to insult us, our coaches and our bosses like that."
• Adds Guschina: "I guess people who think that are not quite right in the head."

(More Kseniya Ryzhova stories.)