Officials receive neutral status

Andrew Rodionenko:

"At the finish of direct democracy - a bad adviser"

Photo © Alexey Ivanov

pictured Andrew Rodionenko

May 8 at Lausanne start of the 28th men's European Championships, where the Russian team is going to fight for the victory in the team competition. This is the challenge facing Russian gymnasts and the Olympic Games in Beijing. For information on how you prepare the team, correspondent "SE" said head coach Andrei Rodionenko.

From the coach we met at Moscow-based "Round Lake". Shortly before this conversation in the team has changed: as soon as the beginning of April in the French Clermont-Ferrand ended continental championship in women as senior coach the women's team took the former head of the youth team Alexander Kiryashov.

The first question is the head coach was dictated precisely this event.

- What is the solution?

- We went to Clermont-Ferrand to fight for team victory - began Rodionenko. - At last year's World Championships in Stuttgart, though girls complied Olympic qualification, but in the final eighth place (Ekaterina Kramarenko, speaking in a final form, has not complied with a vault and received a score of zero - approx. EV). But it was a "medical" case, so that the athlete is not particularly criticize for that.

In Clermont-Ferrand, we had every reason to win the fight command. But it turned out that the team took second place, losing about five points Romanian national team. And this gap has developed in one exercise - in the floor. At the same junior team performed much more successfully. Only now proud of this in the current situation - how to cover one sleeve missing the second.

The main reason for the loss of the core team - methodical and strategic error made by the coaches in training.

- And more?

- Between the Cup of Russia in the Penza and European championship girls trained exclusively on a soft, heavily springing carpet. I myself got sick at the time, was unable to be at the base, and when he returned to the team I was assured that the training is going well and that the coaches are very pleased with the state of athletes.

The "soft" carpet is really very good for training. It allows you to do a large number of repetitions, greatly reduces the load on the back foot. But before the competition need to necessarily move to a more rigid carpet. He's on a "round" too, but it turned out to studiously avoided. And when they came to France and went on the official testing of shells on a competitive platform - all perished together. Individual elements still somehow gets. But the long ligament ...

As a result, made it to the finals only to Anna Pavlova, and only there, it became a "bounce." Before that constantly complained that the hard carpet she always "get stuck" feet.

Former women's team coach Victor Gavrichenko all my claims to understand, so that the removal from the team he was not even surprised. This does not mean that Gavrichenko - unskilled coach, but since such a mistake is made, everyone must understand that it can not pass unnoticed.

- Tough.

- At the Olympic finish line democracy - very bad adviser. Especially that the struggle for command victory in Beijing - our primary objective, because it is the final command defines the rest. A lot of work. It is now clear that, for example, women's team will fight for the medals from abroad 180 points. In Clermont-Ferrand Romanians scored 181.350 to 181.525 in qualifying and finals. We have the same - dashing from 176 to 179. The number 180 - the line that we must overcome in the near future.

- Emphasis on a championship team you do because in this kind of easier to defeat or because you think this kind of the most important?

- And for that, and for another reason. It always has been, even during the Soviet era. There is an old, many times proven true: "The team creates a leader." Alexei Nemov appeared when at the Olympics in Atlanta there was a team that can win. As Svetlana Khorkina. Is a team they would never have a world-class stars. This is natural: the hotter the "kitchen", the bigger person. But if the team does not, then the leader will be appropriate - as a big fish in a shallow puddle.

- At last year's World Championships in Stuttgart, you insisted that the team was ousted from the absolute European champion Maxim Dzevyatouski, who, referring to the injury, did not come out for the final round. Trauma, as it turned out, was really serious. For you, it changes the attitude to what happened?

- No. Maxim had to go to the bar, hang onto it, make one or two elements then carefully jump down and walk away. In this case, I assure you, the same Japanese and Chinese bowed to him for his courage and for a worthy leader of this act.

- But you understand that to take such a decision in seconds was not so easy.

- These decisions should be made on the machine. Another thing is that Maxim no one ever taught such things. Now he is back in the team - and came back a different person. Has become more tolerant, calm, reasonable. It is clear that he sees the team as whole and of itself - as part of this team. And not as an exceptional individual personality. I am more than sure that if suddenly again something similar to what happened in Stuttgart, Maxim will behave quite differently.

- Anna Pavlova with whom I spoke before to meet you, admitted that much easier to force yourself to work when coaches continually scream and curse.

- I prefer that athletes are not afraid, and thought. Yourself. Pavlov for more than three years continuously shouting that it kicked off the team. I threw her out on the second training session after joining the team - sent home before the end of the collection. Since then, she works so that it no one claim.

In France, when we lost Romanian, all waiting for me to separation. And when he was not followed, I saw that they twitched so much more than if I yelled at them. And the same in the final Pavlov went out and made a maximum, which was capable of. Because she felt responsible.

This generation is, unfortunately, all too accustomed to the fact that they are constantly screaming and constantly humiliate them. A person can not be born in a state of humiliation. Please note that happening in the team, which came top in the world ranking. US, Japan, China. There is no trace of slavery.

I remember an interview with the Chinese gymnasts in very different times. I remember when they were sitting at press conferences, without having the right to open his mouth: speak only team representative and interpreter. Athletes, as deaf, just clapped eyes. So now the situation has changed diametrically. Everyone is talking in English, all smiles, jokes - no embarrassment. They specifically work in this direction, too. And with the girls and the boys.

Last year, after the test events in China men's team was asked how they intend to perform at the Olympics. They answered without hesitation: "We all tear." When is it? And this happens not only in the Chinese gymnastics - in all sports.

- When will be named the final Olympic team of the Russian team?

- Immediately after the Cup of Russia, which in late June - early July will be held at the "round". And the next day we're going to the final collection of Leninsk-Kuznetsk. There will be eight athletes in each team, and the Olympic Village we can bring no more than six. Such regulations.

- Why did you choose this city?

- Firstly, it is convenient for acclimatization: the time difference with Beijing small. Secondly, in the Leninist-Kuznetsk for gymnasts ideal conditions. The palace itself is absolutely fantastic, equipped with everything you need. Has come the Olympic equipment - shells on which the gymnasts will compete in Beijing. In the near future they will be installed on the platform, which is also a full copy competitive.

- As far as I know, the replacement athletes after this gathering is supposed to send back to Moscow - the "round". What's the point? And if you need urgent replacement?

- The paradox is that the shortest and fastest way to Beijing - from Moscow. Belarusian colleagues advised me another option: to bring to Beijing all, including the spare. Supposedly have the opportunity to train in some of the local halls. This is a bluff. Find housing in Beijing is still possible. Find a place to train - no longer exists. Americans bother to advance: the Games on the mercy of the whole residential area, in the territory of which there is a gym. But to fly to Beijing, hoping that we have someone somewhere to let - adventure pure water.

During the Games in Sydney, where I worked with the Canadian team, we reserve replacement in New Zealand. And when one of the athletes is injured, it is the same day was sent from Sydney, and in its place was another. The problem in fact is that the replacement must be made within 24 hours. If the team came out on the platform - everything is, no substitutions. How many athletes left so much and will act.

- So, you have provided everything?

- Almost. On April 22, the State Duma will hold parliamentary hearings in which I will report on the preparations for the national team. This suggests that the speech in Beijing the country very seriously. I can say that none of gymnastic team for all my work in this sport had no such medical and other support, which now has a team of Russia. Not enough we have one: the number of Olympic accreditation. August 7th we will for the first time to go to the platform, and the final day of competition - the 18th. If we want to keep the team in the form in which it will bring to China, we necessarily need and own doctor and masseur. As long as it is not provided.

Believe me, this is not some fad. FIG (International Gymnastics Federation - approx. EV) never not particularly care about the athletes. But during the last World Championships in Stuttgart, where after each type of someone on a stretcher carried away from the audience, even there realized that gymnastics - not just a sport. A view that is associated with a great risk and a higher chance of injury. And they went to the relaxation of regulations allowing to have the dais were constantly doctor and therapist serving team. This was done for a reason. And these things can not be ignored.

- What do you expect from the upcoming men's European Championship?

- Rules of the competition is significantly different from the Olympic. It is possible to test different formulations - put one in the qualification structure, and in the final - the other. According to preliminary plans we want to get lucky in Lausanne those who act in the all-around (it Sergei Khorokhordin, Dzevyatouski and Yuri Ryazanov), and the best in its type. Nikolai Kryukov this horse, rings and possibly the crossbar, Anton Golotsutskova - floor exercise and vault. And one of them at any shells eventually act, will decide on the situation. Goal is the same one - a victory.

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