Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

The Guardian yesterday has an interesting article about the FIG's plans to introduce computer judging to gymnastics.  I suggest you give it a read. It won't surprise you to know that I have lots of things to say about this; I think that AI can contribute something to scoring, but not to judgement.  If the implementation of this initiative is not managed with common sense and imagination, we could find ourselves with a sport that is even more devoid of artistry and the aesthetic.   In response to a comment asking for evidence of biased judging, especially in favour of the USA, I commented as follows.  Would be interested in hearing your opinions.   'There is plenty [evidence of bias]. But the judging can be unreliable in all sorts of different directions, not just for the USA. The problem arises at Code level, when the grading of moves and the bonus points are determined. Every country has a say in this, but naturally those countries with the strongest politi

 Mustafina will return to Round Lake on 3 September to begin preparations for Euros in August 2018, says Valentina Rodionenko.  The Olympic Champion, who gave birth to daughter Alisa in early June, contacted the head coaches to ask for an invitation to camp.   Good luck, Aliya! Tass/Albert Starodubtsev http://tass.ru/sport/4514671

Russian promise Elena Eremina at control competition at Round Lake last week, 27th July.  Courtesy RGF www.sportgymrus.ru Hello friends and readers Just a quick line to say, I have not disappeared and I have not lost my love for Russian and Soviet gymnastics. I'm not writing on this blog at present, largely because I have another, bigger project to concentrate on, and I can't do everything.  Over the years, a great deal of material has accumulated here and the internet has become populated with masses more information, self generated, state generated and media generated, about gymnastics in all the various eras.  I am, therefore, currently undertaking the monster - but not onerous - task of trying to unravel all the strands, create records, and begin to work out a structure for everything that lies behind this blog.  My ambition, over the years, is to produce some more lasting publications based on the amazing things the gymnasts did, and to record their legacy. I&#

Legendary coach Vladislav Rotstorotsky, genius, innovator, and 'infinitely kind' according to top Russian sports journalist Elena Vaitsekhovskaya, died yesterday aged 85.   Vladislav coached Soviet heroes Lioudmilla Tourischeva, Natalia Shaposhnikova and Natalia Yurchenko amongst others, including 1981 Soviet team member Alla Shishova.  His creative work shaped much of the art of gymnastics on show today.  On vault, bars, beam and floor his gymnasts innovated and amazed.  The names of Yurchenko and Shaposhnikova are engraved in the sport's vocabulary. Rotstorotsky believed in gymnastics as an end to itself.  Gold medals were not the only aim.  A favourite saying of his was 'Do not shame gymnastics'.  He encouraged his athletes to participate in the arts and to enjoy literature, encouraging them to borrow books from his own private library.  'If those with whom I work grow up to be good and truthful people, it has been worth it all', he said.   After a spell

Why did Katya Sokova retire?  Here's why - a sad and shocking story of neglect and a seriously hurt 16 year old 😔http://israeligymnerd.blogspot.co.il/2017/04/sokova-on-ending-her-career.html

Plans for the Olympics, the family cat, how Aliya managed her nerves in 2012 and much more - translation on Liubov's blog http://israeligymnerd.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/aliya-mustafina-radio-interview.html?m=1

Aliya Mustafina has said that she will begin training again in December, says Andrei Rodionenko, and he believes that she is strong-willed enough to make the transition back into competitive gymnastics.  Adding that it would be a first for the Russian team, Rodionenko clearly believes that Aliya could still bring a certain something to the sport with her unique determination. http://rsport.ru/artist_gym/20170305/1117267865.html

National head coach Andrei Rodionenko says he feels optimistic about the next four years, based on the number of gymnasts who are showing promise.  He says that the team strategy for both men and women is to prepare two teams each who can compete for places at the Olympics.  It is likely that the excellent competition facilities in Kazan will host another gymnastics competition for the Russians in 2018, adding that they had all enjoyed their time there. Rodionenko went on to say that obviously Dalolyan and Kapitonova had done well here but he isn't ready to name the teams for Euros (!).  A decision will be made based on performance in training over the next four weeks. http://rsport.ru/artist_gym/20170305/1117268356.html

Looking well ahead (there are another six weeks to go before the European Championships) Valentina Rodionenko has outlined a few assumptions for the final team selection. Injury apart, those who are guaranteed a place on the teams are Artur Dalolyan and Natalia Kapitonova. Also selected are Nikita Nagorny, David Belyavski, Seda Tutkhalyan and Angelina Melnikova, as well as Elena Eremina.  Vladislav Polyashov has a good chance, and the coaches will also be watching Viktoria Trykina closely. European Championships - 19 to 23 April.  This time in Romania, the 2017 Champs will be individual AA and EF only.  I am surprised not to see Lankin mentioned here. http://tass.ru/sport/4071960

  Doctors have given 2012 Olympian Viktoria Komova the all clear to begin light training and make a gradual recovery this year, reports her father, Alexander Komov. Viktoria missed last year's Olympics with severe back pain caused by a stress fracture in her vertebrae.  Komov emphasised that it is still early days, and they don't know if the pain levels will return as the workload increases - only time will tell.  But Viktoria has a clear intention to make her way back into training. Good luck to Vika!  Let's hope to see her competing in good health once more. Source -  http://tass.ru/sport/4028089

  Baby face ... Born 30 December 1972, Elena Gurova was one of the Soviet Union's gymnastics prodigies who blossomed early, but never quite showed her full flowering.   At the age of 14, Elena took multiple medals at the Soviet Cup and Soviet Championships to qualify as a member of her country's team at the World Championships in Rotterdam.   Despite a stunning floor routine, including a double layout opener and a final tumble of full twisting double back, Elena received just one medal there, a silver for her team contribution.  She failed to qualify to any individual final, thanks to the incredible depth of a Soviet team that included eventual World - and Olympic - Champions Shushunova, Omelianchik, Boguinskaia and Baitova. The following year she competed at the World Sports Fair, taking the AA gold with, by her standards, watered down routines.  Sadly she was not named to the Soviet Olympics team and her competitive record then runs dry - does anyone know any more? In the pi

Dmitri Bilozerchev rose to prominence at the age of 16 in 1983, as the youngest World All Around Champion ever.  He was an astonishing talent. Quickly, legend built up around this extraordinary young man.  Stories circulated of how his coach, Alexander Alexandrov, would reward him with cake for good performance in training.  Bilozerchev's prodigious talent earned him the title the 'Mozart of Gymnastics'.  'He has 'perfect pitch'', said Alexandrov. The only events on which Bilozerchev did not win medals at his first World Championships were the vault and the parallel bars.  Two years later, at the European Championships in Oslo, he collected a full set, a silver medal on the vault his only vaguely modest outcome.  No one could compete with the brilliant Russian.  As we looked forward to the World Championships in Montreal, there was only one gymnast : Dmitri Bilozerchev. Then tragedy stuck as Bilozerchev suffered a catastrophic car accident, his leg bro

Liubov Baladzhaeva has provided a good translation of the article from the Saransk and Mordovan Times .  Text in square brackets are Liubov's personal comments.   Leonid Arkayev was fired from the gymnastics center in Saransk that was named after him. It is not clear what was the real reason (or the host of reasons), but the authors speculate that the main issues were conflict over the state-owned apartment given to Arkayev and the lack of results from the athletes he trained. However, when the journalist went to investigate the situation she encountered rumors that Arkayev had a special interest in the female gymnasts. The author claims she was able to talk to some of the victims whose names she can’t reveal. First, the article talks about two issues with Arkayev as a coach that weren’t related to sexual harassment allegations. His former colleague, a gymnastics coach called Irina in this article (not sure if it’s her real name) talked about working with him. According to her,

Just to let you all know, I am trying to get a translation of a local (Saransk/Mordova) press report that is critical of former Soviet and Russia head coach Leonid Arkayev.  Leonid's contract as head coach of the local facility (the Arkayev Gymnastics Centre ) was terminated last October.  There are three key allegations : (i) that he is difficult to work with and that his training methods are outdated (ii) that there are financial improprieties relating to his state accommodation and to the trading of gymnastics competition titles and (iii) that he has been molesting female gymnasts and that the girls do not feel comfortable around him. Everybody wants to know whether this is believable.  From what I have been able to garner via personal contacts and online comments, views are polarised.  Some influential people have been critical in the past - this isn't surprising for someone in such a high profile position.  It is difficult to judge. It is plain that Arkayev can be ver

Imagine a time when there were no videos, no internet, no blogs.  A time when World Championships results often didn't reach the press (incomplete) until days after the end of the competitions.  When results of the national competitions in other countries took months to reach you, if at all.  No Valentina Rodionenko press reports to ruffle your feathers, no Instagram posts from your favourite gymnasts, no Nikushkin Day videos to familiarise you with what the gymnasts want you to know of their everyday lives.  No live streaming, no video posts of the youngest gymnasts.  Secrets were secrets and details of upgrades and innovations rarely reached the lay person's ear before they were revealed at major competition.  There was no Google translate to help you untangle news of your favourite Soviet gymnast. Information felt like gold.  We pored over words and pictures for every ounce of meaning, sometimes more than was there.  We devoured televised coverage hungrily, eager for every

Dear Readers I moved house in October and am still filtering through boxes and reordering my life - moving is always like this!  This morning, I have begun to browse through my gymnastics archive and to reflect on just a little of the material that has given my writing life over the past few years.  Over the coming year or so I will be posting on this blog less, as I wish to concentrate on the preparation of a book I have been planning for some years - please be patient.  My archive will continue to fuel my ideas, but I will also need to keep up with current developments in the sport in Russia.  There is a lot going on, not just within gymnastics but within the wider political, economic and social spheres.  I don't want to give too much away, but I will keep you up to date with anything major. It has always been a joy to share things with you on this blog and I intend to continue.  Today, I'll post a few scans of items I have found in my collection - there will, sporadica