It was a Sunday morning. I was drinking my coffee and contemplating the day ahead - a workout at the gym, shopping for groceries, an evening reading a book, or catching up on last night's episodes of crime thriller The Bridge . How nice it was not to have to think about work for a day. Then I saw it - a story about the history of doping in The Observer . Interesting reading. Of course, cheating is as old as the hills. It is, unfortunately, human nature for some people to try to gain easy advantage in any kind of competition. That is why we have laws, rules, ethical guidelines. People who cheat should face justice and shouldn't complain when they are found out. But the story about pregnancy doping bothered me. Hadn't that been found to be fictional? The author began with Olga Kovalenko's allegations made in 1994 - but the rumours had started way back in 1991 with the documentary series More Than A Game . The practice...
Reporting and analysing Russian gymnastics since 2010. Includes original and exclusive interviews with leading coaches and gymnasts, and historical issues dating back to the Soviet Union. The first blog to report extensively on the sport using Russian language sources. I read, I argue, and I have opinions. Be warned.

Leonid Arkayev for Aliya's coach!
ReplyDeleteThe whole Russian team to run up hill!
Better dance training that includes other types of dancing besides ballet!
More tumbling drills instead of walking while drinking coffee!
Get a better vault coach!
Fix the helicopters legs!
Get rid of Valentina!
All of the above, plus better conditioning!!! They need to be in shape.
ReplyDeleteRussiafan
to stop taking one week breaks every 3 weeks
ReplyDeleteYes! I agree the best approach towards the russian teams success is better conditioning, better vault training and a coach for aliya!
ReplyDeleteI have always supported the return Arkayev after Alexandrov resign
DeleteI have been calling for him since Alexandrov left. The guy made the Soviet tradition and headed the federation for ages. He is knonw the politics, strategies and the technicalities. He managed the Russian team to during the worst historical gymnastics time. He is the one who recruited Alexandrov. He advised the Koreans on building their vault capacity.
ReplyDeleteWhat else could be better?
Alfi
If they want to bet on artistry, they definitively need a better choreographer, Soviet if possible +a better choice of music.
ReplyDeleteFor those who want Arkayev or Rastorotski back, they are 74 and 81 so there might be someone younger.
They need better conditioning for sure. They need to hire a trainer specifically for that and get their butts in gear. No more walking around the lake, more like running three miles around the lake.
ReplyDelete