In other news - Artur Dalaloyan, Olympic champion in artistic gymnastics from Russia, has made it clear he will only compete internationally if it is under the Russian flag, with the Russian anthem playing … head coach Valentina Rodionenko fears that the criteria for Russian gymnasts to compete in the Olympics will be even tougher than those for World competition. If gymnasts from CSKA or Dynamo clubs are banned, this rules out Listunova in particular. Finally, sad news that Russian junior Maria Kravchenko (Moscow - coached by Marina Ulyankina) lost her father in the conflict with Ukraine. She is 14 years old.
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...
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