Vasily Utkin
Vasily Utkin | |
|---|---|
Василий Уткин | |
 Utkin in 2019 | |
| Born | 6 March 1972 Balashikha, Moscow Oblast, Soviet Union |
| Died | 19 March 2024 (aged 52) Moscow, Russia |
| Occupations |
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Vasily Vyacheslavovich Utkin (Russian: Василий Вячеславович Уткин; 6 March 1972 – 19 March 2024) was a Russian sports commentator and reporter, author, host, television and radio presenter, entertainer, and actor.[1]
He gained popularity in the mid-1990s as a football commentator for NTV and NTV Plus and as a sports journalist, hosting the TV program The Football Club, which he released on his own YouTube channel until the last days of his life. Winner of the TEFI award in the category "Best Sports Commentator" in 2004 and 2005.
From 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2015, he was editor-in-chief of NTV Plus sports channels. From 2014 to 2015, he hosted the entertainment game show Big Question on the STS. From 1 November 2015 to 5 February 2016, he was an employee of Match TV. From 3 March 2016 to 13 May 2017, he was a commentator for Eurosport.
Former co-owner of Sports.ru website. As an actor he collaborated with Kvartet I. He was the owner of the media football club Egrisi.
According to a number of colleagues, players, and the media, Utkin created the language and identity of modern sports journalism in Russia, and was the most talented and recognizable Russian-speaking football commentator of his time.[2][3][4][5]
Career
[edit]Utkin was appointed chief editor of the sports channels of NTV Plus on 1 September 2010, and was in place until the restructuring to Match TV.[6]
Utkin left Match TV after refusing to work with Tina Kandelaki in 2015.[7] In 2020, his views on the poor governance of Russia were attacked by television host Vladimir Solovyov.[8]
Utkin was also known for his shocking actions and statements, some even causing international scandals.[9][10][11][12][13][14]
Utkin was assaulted twice in his career for outspoken views, in 2001 and 2019. The latter he linked to former Russia national team head coach Stanislav Cherchesov.[15]
Utkin was also an occasional actor who played the part of a candidate for Governor Igor Tsaplin in Kvartet I's play Election Day and follow-up movies Election Day (2007) and Election Day 2 (2016).[16][17]
Even though he seemed to support the Russian annexation of Crimea,[18][19] in 2022, he spoke out against Russian invasion of Ukraine.[20]
Death
[edit]Vasily Utkin died at the Pirogov Hospital in Moscow, on 19 March 2024, at the age of 52.[21] The preliminary cause of death was a pulmonary embolism.[22] At the time of his death, 6-foot-7-inch-tall (201 cm) Utkin weighed more than 440 pounds (200 kg).[23]
On 21 March, before the start of a friendly football match between the Russian and the Serbian national team, fans honored the memory of the commentator with a minute of silence.[24]
References
[edit]- ^ "Unitology: General Director Sports.ru Dmitry Navosha". 4 August 2009. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ^ ""Вася, как так?" Друзья и коллеги провожают Василия Уткина". Sports.ru (in Russian). 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ "Каким мы запомним Василия Уткина". Sports.ru (in Russian). 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ ""Наследие Уткина исполинских размеров!" Как друзья и коллеги прощаются с Василием". championat.com (in Russian).
- ^ "Вася — великий". Meduza (in Russian).
- ^ Utkin appointed chief editor of sports channels NTV Plus // televesti.ru, 31 August 2010
- ^ Василий Уткин отказался работать под руководством Канделаки. topnews.ru
- ^ ""Несчастный, расплывшийся человек" – Соловьёв ответил на слова Уткина".
- ^ Sports commentator Utkin gave rise to an international scandal said that he would like every day to dip Lukashenko in the toilet
- ^ Vasily Utkin: Find matching those of my recent replicas to the current BATE absurd
- ^ Lenta.ru Russia: the Right message
- ^ "Utkin grabbed a glass of vodka and splashed me in the face". Sports.ru. 17 October 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ^ NTV Plus defended Utkin from the Terek
- ^ Utkin nicknamed FC Astana as "Fart-Woodpeckers"
- ^ Журналист Уткин рассказал о нападении на него в Москве
- ^ Actors at the official Kvartet I website (in Russian)
- ^ Vasiliy Utkin at IMDb
- ^ Рождественский, Михаил (29 May 2020). "Василий Уткин: чей Крым? Крымчан". championat.com (in Russian). Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ Бик, Олекса (19 March 2024). "Помер Василь Уткін – він працював в Україні та виправдовував анексію Криму". football24.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ ""Худший день в жизни" и "Мы сожжём вашу конституцию на Крещатике". Как "лидеры мнений" встретили стрельбу на Украине". fontanka.ru (in Russian). 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ Умер спортивный журналист Василий Уткин (in Russian)
- ^ "Умер Василий Уткин". meduza.io. Meduza. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ Хрущ, Максим (26 October 2023). "Источник: у Василия Уткина диагностировали атеросклероз, его вес превысил 200 кг". championat.com. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ^ "Болельщики почтили память Василия Уткина перед матчем сборных России и Сербии в Москве". news.sportbox.ru. 21 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
