The coach of the Russian national freestyle wrestling team, Dzambolat Tedeev, the Tokyo Olympic champion from North Ossetia, Zaurbek Sidakov, and the winners - Arthur Naifonov and Sergey Kozyrev, were greeted with honors in Tskhinvali. Soslan Ramonov, the owner of the Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro, also arrived in Tskhinvali.

The 2020 Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo from July 23 to August 8, 2021. Russia was represented by a delegation of 335 athletes in 33 sports. Russia was represented at the Olympics on behalf of the Russian Olympic Committee due to the sanctions. Russian athlets won 20 gold, 28 silver and 23 bronze medals. Four out of eight athletes from North Ossetia became winners of gold, silver and two bronze medals.

Hundreds of people attended the ceremony in Tskhinvali. Tedeev, who is originally from the Tskhinvali region, said: “We came to our homeland. Being in Tokyo, we felt your support all the time. From every Olympic Games we bring Olympic medals to little Ossetia. There were Ramonov, Gatsalov, Taimazov, Baroev. So, this is already a good tradition for us.” According to Tedeev, “nobody divides our Ossetia, but Tskhinvali is the very heart of Ossetia.” According to him, if 15 countries recognize the independence of the Tskhinvali region, he will be able to participate in the Olympic Games under a neutral Olympic flag.

The de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov, awarded the winner of the gold medal, Zaurberk Sidakov, the winner of the bronze medal, Artur Nayfonov, the winner of the silver medal and tennis player, Aslan Karatsev, and the winner of the bronze medal, judoka Madina Taimazova, with the “Order of Friendship.”