Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin has become globally for his "alpha dog" image -- riding motorcycles, fly-fishing and diving for "sunken treasure" are just a few of his sporty endeavors as seen in recent months.
Now, however, Dmitry Medvedev is getting in on the action -- posting a video on the Kremlin website that shows the president facing off with the premier in a spirited match of badminton. It's arguably a symbolic pairing, as Medvedev recent announced his decision not to run for a second presidential term next year, making way for Putin's return.
"People who play badminton are those who make quick decisions," Medvedev is quoted by The Wall Street Journal as saying in the three-minute clip. "People play badminton in just about every country on our planet...we also play badminton and I think this is a very good thing. It’s very helpful, because this game helps, like all sports, develop physical form, perception of distance, sharpness in reactions."
Still, reviews of Medvedev's athletic prowess has thus far been mixed. "For an almost 60-year-old Putin's not bad," David Nowak, a sports writer with the RIA Novosti agency in Moscow, tweeted. "But yeah, Medvedev plays like my mum."
Watch the video, via The Telegraph, below:
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