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Valentina Rodionenko - Elena Davydova should return to coach in Russia

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As usual, Valentina Rodionenko has an opinion on the current Canadian Gymnastics suspension of Elena Davydova, and has a verdict to deliver on Elvira Saadi, too.  Davydova has been invited to return to coach in Russia - she still has her apartment in St Petersburg, apparently.

Remember that Andrei Rodionenko headed up Canadian Gymnastics’ training for eight years until moving back to Russia in 2006.  Valentina’s opinion of the relative merits of Elvira and Elena’s coaching styles may have some basis in fact.


Read the whole story in English (Google translate from the original Russian language source - TASS) below.


‘Valentina Rodionenko: “Davydova needs to return to Russia, we will be happy to take her”


Valentina Rodionenko believes that Elena Davydova needs to return to Russia.


Two-time Olympic champion in artistic gymnastics Elena Davydova was temporarily suspended from coaching in Canada


“Elena Davydova needs to return, we will be happy to take her. Lena left Leningrad for Canada in 1991, she always said that she wanted to return to Russia. Davydova didn’t even sell her apartment in St. Petersburg.


Elvira Saadi, suspended for life, is a different case; her methods are not welcomed in Russia now, and nothing has connected her with our country for a long time.


I recently talked with Lena, nothing foreshadowed her removal. Unlike the case with Elvira Saadi, Davydova’s excommunication is very surprising to me.


But I cannot rule out that Lena was suspended for the same reasons as Elvira. These are requirements to follow a diet and strictly monitor your weight, psychological pressure on children, and so on, and everything can only come from the parents of gymnasts.


I repeat, Lena’s dismissal came as a complete surprise to me. I said earlier that Davydova, unlike Saadi, managed to rebuild and adjust her requirements for athletes. But both always had gymnasts from Team Canada.


Lena worked with wonderful girls, she is a very competent coach,” said the senior coach of the Russian artistic gymnastics team.


Source: TASS’

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