Skip to main content

Mustafina riposte - I will decide if I compete on the basis of my health, says the Champion

As quickly as my posts have been published, new stories have emerged.  In my last post - you will need to read it in order to get the full picture - I said we would need to read Aliya's words, and here they are, thanks to RSport and some very vigilant readers of this blog who tipped me off!  The decision to include Aliya on the team is not as definitive as might have been taken from Valentina and Andrei's words, but then we always have the subtleties of translation to deal with.

"I do not know for sure, (my performance in the World Championships) is questionable. When I am ready, it can be a statement, but for now it's not possible. I will be looking at my health closer to departure," - said Mustafina by telephone.  She also noted that saying anything concrete about her health is difficult. "While it is difficult to say anything about the state of my health, one does need to start training. We will work in the camp at Round Lake."

In turn, the head coach of Russia Andrei Rodionenko confirmed that 'no one had refused' the possibility of Mustafina being included in the squad for the World Championships.
Yet more uncertainty - it is understandable if Aliya wants to take her time in deciding, and I am sure that we all support her in that.  Interesting that Aliya is now clearly an independent voice on the Russian team - she has earned this autonomy from the mature and professional way she has handled these difficult questions, and indeed her entire career, and we all send her our very best thoughts.

Comments

  1. Plot thickened!!!,,, guess we will just have to wait. But I feel a little more hopeful about Team Russia now.....

    Btw, if I select classic instead of flipcard, then I can view comments. Maybe just browser dependent? I am using IE 11. Maybe someone with another browser can report about this problem?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Some of the posts have comments but I cant view them. the previous post about the provisional team for example.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Here's a test comment. See:

    https://productforums.google.com/d/topic/blogger/u2VAePfKxbg/discussion

    ReplyDelete
  4. Todays article from Vaytsehovskaya about Aliya and worlds including some new words from Aliya http://www.sport-express.ru/artistic-gymnastics/reviews/919813/

    ReplyDelete
  5. Eh, since she hasn't been training for a while, I don't know how much of a help she would be. Her leadership and strength does help, but not sure how her performances would be. However, never count her out and she hits majority of the time and always when it matters. I wish I could say that about the others.

    I hope she doesn't go though. Her health is the most important, and Rio is definitely the most important competition. If the team can't qualify without her, then that is really hopeless.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dmitri Andreev - we are building towards long term goals

  Dmitri Andreev, Russia’s gymnastics leader now that Andrei Rodionenko has stepped into an advisory capacity, is a long standing national coach and well respected international judge.  Now, as gymnastics in Russia steps forward onto the international arena once more, (via its neutral athletes, coaches and officials), it’s up to Andreev and his team to support and structure the growth and development of gymnastics.   Russia’s first big goal as neutral athletes is to qualify for the Olympics at the October World Championships.  Many of the gymnasts have limited experience on the big stage.  The necessary placements are therefore a big ask - especially emotionally and psychologically.   Here is how Andreev sees things working. 1. Transition Phase: Building Toward Major Goals The Russian team is in a deliberate rebuilding and preparation phase. Early-season competitions like the Russian Cup serve more as evaluation tools than peak performances. The primary o...

Andrei Rodionenko explains Russia's performance at Worlds - Lupitatranslates

Rodionenko with European Champion David Belyavski  Courtesy RGF/Elena Mikhailova This is the interview that many people on the internet have already commented on, regarding Andrei Rodionenko's alleged racism.  The original, Russian language version, appears on VTB Bank's website (VTB are sponsors of Russian gymnastics).  It takes cleverer people than me to decide what is racism, what is deliberately perjorative, and what is inferred in an interviewer's question.  For now, I will not comment on this, therefore, but I would ask you to read Lupita's translation carefully before you form your own opinion.   I am providing some links below which might help you to decide where you stand. Definition of racism Definition of sexism BBC Sport article by Matthew Syed : Is it wrong to note that 100m winners are always black?            Updated 24/10 CSKA Moscow: UEFA opens racist chants case         ...

Nelli Kim - 'Russian gymnastics has closed in on itself' - Lupita translates

Lupita has translated this ITAR-TASS interview with Nelli Kim.  It's controversial, to say the least. Ed's note : much of the initial response to this interview - both here and in the wider gymternet -  has focussed on the detail of Kim's words and especially her comments about Viktoria Komova, and smiling.  But I think these have to be taken in context, and not too literally. Don't forget that just a day ago Andrei Rodionenko complained bitterly about the judging in Antwerp, calling Kim's behaviour 'aggressive'. Kim is responding to this here, and to the wider current context of Russian gymnastics.  What she is essentially saying to the Russian coach is 'get your own house in order, produce confident, disciplined, well trained gymnasts - stop complaining, do your job, and I will do mine.'   She goes about saying this in a somewhat long winded way and says some things along the way that seem contradictory, unfair, inappropriate even for th...

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more