Skip to main content

'We will only compete under the Russian flag'

By

As background, it is possible that the Russian gymnastics team may be affected by an IOC ban of all Russian sports, because of evidence of state-sponsored doping.  But gymnastics, along with ten other sports, is not mentioned in the McLaren Report into this evidence.  Gymnastics' governing body, the FIG, has made public that it has clean tests for all of the gymnasts.  It is hoped that the IOC will take a decision to allow clean sports to participate in the Games.  It has been mooted that this might be under a neutral, Olympic flag.  Since the CAS ruling this morning that the blanket ban imposed by the IAAF on Russian athletics is lawful, it is considered less likely that exemptions to the ban will be policed on an individual athlete basis.

TASS has published some brief statements about this -
 
- For me it is crucial to act under the Russian flag. I was born here and I will defend it, - said the captain of the men's gymnastics team Nikolai Kuksenkov
 
- We can't really talk about this, but we will be very upset if the wrong decision is taken.  At the same time, we are optimistic and believe that good sense will prevail in the IOC.  But it will be hard for us to compete under another flag, we do not want to compete under the IOC flag, said the coach.
 
- We need to close our eyes to these things and just do our job.  Despite all the difficulties, we need to overcome it and we will be rewarded. We will only compete for Russia, - said Aliya Mustafina, captain of the women's team artistic gymnastics.
 
Source: tass.ru/sport/3474804

In another TASS interview, Aliya has said - 

The hype around the team will not affect my mood because I have not read the news.  My main goal is to help the team.  I have not looked at the internet.  I have a goal simply to fight to the end, if we are finally allowed to be there.  If not - I will be very upset, but I still need to work to the final moment..

http://tass.ru/sport/3475083



Labels:

Comments

  1. Anonymous21 July 2016 at 14:50

    Aliya interview from today http://tass.ru/sport/3475083

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous21 July 2016 at 14:57

    Hail Aliya, a pro more than any of the jar-heads involved in this drama. Honestly, she should handle the PR and Communication of the Russian Gymnastics Teams (MAG and WAG), kudos Queen Aliya.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous21 July 2016 at 15:13

    Dear Aliya, it is said that Greats come once every 100 years. I think hundred years being turned today! All the best.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous21 July 2016 at 15:42

    Photos from today's press Day at Round Lake here http://www.tassphoto.com/ru/feature/196302/---------/page/1/SN/NW_SPORTS P.S. seeing Mustafina working together with Ganina on some of it , this give me life!http://tassphoto.com/zooms_web/00000007829/16644198.bro Btw Aliya face in some pictures tells it all without words tbh! http://tassphoto.com/zooms_web/00000007829/16643761.bro

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous21 July 2016 at 17:50

    I don't think that IOC or Bach would really ban the whole Russia gymnastic team. Because if that really happens, gymnastic would be really boring!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous21 July 2016 at 18:44

    Another big photo gallery from today media day at Round Lake http://visualrian.ru/ru/site/feature/527759/ http://visualrian.ru/ru/site/search/?q=%D0%92%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%20%D0%90%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BF%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87&field=author

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous21 July 2016 at 19:33

    Was Nikolai Kuksenkov really born in Russia? I assumed he was born in Ukraine of Russian ethnicity. Well, since he says so, it must be so.

    If Russia is completely banned, it would be a huge blow to the gymnasts. It appears they will refuse to compete under a neutral flag. That means there will be no Russian gymnasts in Rio. It would be a shame (to put it mildly).

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous21 July 2016 at 19:35

    Todays big and cool interview with Aliya Mustafina from Elena Vaytsekhovskaya.About Rio, life after gymnastics, pain and many other things, Aliya is fantastic in it! http://www.sport-express.ru/olympics/rio2016/artistic-gymnastics/reviews/aliya-mustafina-ushi-dlya-gimnasta-eto-menshee-zlo-1024089/

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous21 July 2016 at 21:32

    Photoset from today trainings at Round Lake on RGF official page http://sportgymrus.ru/photos/press-tur-v-trenirovochny-j-tsentr-sborny-h-komand-rossii-ozero-krugloe-21-07-2016-foto-e-mihajlovoj/

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous22 July 2016 at 11:49

    Another interview with wisdom words from Aliya Mustafina about all these shithsow which happens now in IOC, where not clean sport , but politics play the main role and about lost generation in Russian gymnastics if IOC will ban whole Russian team in all sports...http://rsport.ru/rio2016_analytics/20160722/994326394.html

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Viktoria Komova - back pain has forced me to step down

By
I awoke this morning to a very simple statement from Viktoria Komova, on her vk.com site, which Papa Liukin has translated (via the IG forum): 'Dear friends, fans, and gymnastics lovers. Unfortunately back pain isn't allowing me to train to my full potential and get ready for competitions. I've made the very difficult decision to stop training and take care of my health. I want to thank everyone for their support! Without your love and warmth it would've been more difficult to go all the way. Thanks everyone and see you soon! Love and kisses.' Well, first of all, good wishes and best of luck to Viktoria, who has struggled since 2012 to re-establish herself fully as a competitive gymnast, whose talent was so great that she secured gold on bars at two different World Championships, four years apart, whose career was littered with controversy, who must be allowed to live her life as she wishes.   I know that the 'gymternet' will now be overflowing...
43 comments
Read more

Komova should have won!

By
It was a very tight battle in the North Greenwich arena today, with American Gabby Douglas beating out Viktoria Komova by a mere 0.259 points (see results below) and the legendary Aliya Mustafina sealing her comeback from that career-threatening injury with a well deserved bronze medal. Yes, she suffered a fall from beam after her Arabian somersault but elsewhere she was at her best, a real endorsement of the work of the Russian coaches in nursing her back to almost-top form since that fateful day in 2011. Komova had a faultless competition apart from a step on landing her Amanar vault. Frankly, she must feel utterly shattered after coming second once again by a very small margin to an American who was treated very generously by the judges. Komova soared and took every beam move to the max, rounding off with her rare double Arabian dismount in fine style; Douglas literally sidled along the beam, seeming frightened to take her feet off the apparatus for all but her somersaults. Kom...
45 comments
Read more

Aliya Mustafina - 'I'm just trying to stay healthy'

By
A brief interview with the World and Olympic Champion from All Sport is summarised below. Russian national gymnastics continues to prepare for the World Championships, which will be held October 3-12 in Nanning (China). Olympic champion Aliya Mustafina told Mary Staroverova about her health and about preparations for the competition. - In June, I went to Germany to solve the problem with my ankle.  I had a small operation to clean the joints of a build-up of bone particles.  Nothing serious was evident, and the operation went well.  Now I have to tumble.  But there is still some discomfort, a slight pain at full load, and I can not tumble at full force.  For the time being, I try to go easy on my legs.  After the Russia Cup I will have to fully prepare for Worlds. That is just one month.   Even if I'm not tumbling, I will keep myself in good shape, and that should suffice (smiles). - I can't say if it is a different pain to before Europeans, because at...
48 comments
Read more

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more