Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

 Via VK.com Judge Dmitry Andreev, gymnast Ranel Safiullin and doctor Grigory Marsov received neutral status. Today, FIG updated the list of athletes and staff who received neutral status. Information about athletes from rhythmic gymnastics also appeared.

All Russian gymnasts who received neutral status intend to promptly fly to Novosibirsk after the end of the World Cup stage in Qatar to take part in the Russian Cup. This was reported to TASS by the senior coach of the Russian national team Valentina Rodionenko. In addition to Melnikova, the list of Russian participants in the April stages of the World Cup in artistic gymnastics includes Kirill Prokopyev, Vladislav Polyashov, Ilya Zaika, Grigory Klimentyev, Alena Glotova and Zlata Osokina. 💬"All our athletes plan to compete in the Russian Cup in Novosibirsk after participating in the World Cup stages," Rodionenko said. "The World Cup stage in Qatar will end on April 19, the official training in Novosibirsk is scheduled for April 22. When we declared gymnasts for the World Cup stages, the athletes all said that the Russian Cup was a priority start for them. And they are doing the right thing, because a lot will depend on the performance in Novosibirsk." 📝tass.ru/sp...

The new IOC President is a woman, and from Africa, Mrs Kirsty Coventry! The FIG President Watanabe received 4 votes and Britain’s Sebastian Coe 8. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2025/mar/20/ioc-presidential-elections-olympics-sebastian-coe-juan-antonio-samaranch-jr-live?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Russian coach Vera Kiryashova has been invited as a judge to the April stage of the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup, which will be held in Croatia. Kiryashova told TASS about this. 💬"The first tournament I plan to work at after a long break will be held in Croatia in a month," Kiryashova said. "After that, I'm going to go to Qatar. I don't have any information yet whether I'll be the only judge from Russia at these tournaments." The Artistic Gymnastics World Cup stage will be held in Osijek, Croatia, from April 11 to 13, and Doha will host the world stage a week later. Kiryashova is one of three Russian judges who received neutral status from the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) in early March, which gives Russians and Belarusians the right to work at tournaments under the auspices of FIG. Elena Redyanova and Irina Savosina also have neutral status. She continues to work as part of the judging panels at international tournaments, as represented b...

From Match TV via VK.com.  Google translate Russian gymnast Daniil Marinov said on Match TV that he felt the willingness of the President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Morinari Watanabe to return Russian athletes to international competitions. On Monday, Watanabe is in Novogorsk with members of the Russian national artistic and rhythmic gymnastics teams. The head of FIG is also a candidate for the post of President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 📅 We talked about the prospects for 2028, about the Olympics. What are the chances of Russia competing in them as its own country and power without any neutral flags. To which he replied that this will happen when everything calms down. It will happen without any problems. Unfortunately, there are no specifics. ⛔At the meeting with Watanabe, the conversation was about neutral statuses and how to obtain them, about refusals. Why, for example, was our star Vika Listunova refused. She was refused because of a...

Interview with coach Marina Styazhkina from  https://www.fontanka.ru/2025/03/10/75203060/ Google translate 16-year-old Zlata Osokina from Gatchina was among 12 Russian gymnasts admitted to international competitions. What does this mean for the athlete, why do coaches not monitor their charges' social networks, and is it really possible to raise a national team-level gymnast in Russia without investing a ruble? Fontanka's sports department spoke with Zlata's coach Marina Styazhkina about this and more. — How did you receive the news about Zlata receiving neutral status? — We were very happy, because she is now in the main team preparing for the World Cup stage, which will begin on April 8 in Croatia, and then straight to Qatar, for the next stage. — How is the procedure for obtaining neutral status going now? — In December, we signed the papers, filled out the questionnaires, then they were checked for two months. My application is still under consideration, I also submitte...

Sport is the low hanging fruit of world politics. The IOC ban on Russian athletes has kept Russian soft influence to a minimum over past years. I understand the emotion.    For example, how could Nagorny (a Russian World and Olympic champion) compete alongside Ukrainian rivals when he has openly endorsed the war, and even encouraged his Russian team mates to join up and take part in the military action? In this video  FIG President Watanabe is welcomed to Round Lake, Russia’s national training centre for gymnastics, by Russian head coach Andrei Rodionenko and the aforementioned Nikita Nagorny.    Rodionenko is a long-serving member of the international gymnastics community.    He has been head coach of Soviet, Australian, Canadian and, now, the Russian teams. Watanabe is campaigning for votes in his quest to be voted IOC President.    That’s like the Prime Minister of the UK putting himself forward as Head of NATO - it’s a big step.  ...

 VK.com.  Google translate ✅I'm betting on stability and purity Vladislav, when did you start training this year? 🎙 "I started training in January." What is your current training regimen? How often do you come to the "Ozero Krugloe" base and train with the national team? 🎙 "We are currently preparing for the Russian Cup in full mode. I don't often come to "Ozero Krugloe" - I came to qualify for the BRICS Games, and I did all my preparation for the games there." Have you already started preparing for the Russian Cup? 🎙 "Yes, I am preparing in full mode. I will be competing on two apparatuses - pommel horse and parallel bars. According to the new rules, the horizontal bar is very weak for me - there is no point in going on it. It will be difficult to get more complicated on it, since I need elements that I have been studying for a long time, but have never mastered." Have you already managed to adjust the combinations to the ne...

 Interview via VK.com, Google translate: David, when did you start training this year? 🎙 "I started training in early February." What is your current training regimen? How often do you come to the Ozero Krugloe base and train with the national team? 🎙 "So far, my regimen is more like physical education, mostly general exercises. I've been at the training camp since February 16, training with the team, but not according to the national team's plan yet." Have you already started preparing for the Russian Cup? 🎙 "Yes, that's actually what I'm doing now — preparing for the Russian Cup. I hope that I'll have time to get on the platform in top shape." Have you already managed to adjust your combinations to the new rules? 🎙 "My combinations haven't changed much because of the new rules. The only thing that needs to be changed is one element on the pommel horse." How many apparatuses are you planning to do in Novosibirsk? 🎙 ...

  A fabulous short interview via VK.com.  Google translates. 🎵 "End of the year to Rihanna? Possibly!": Angelina Melnikova on plans to update the program Angelina, when did you start training this year? 🎙 "I started training in January." What is your current training regimen? How often do you come to the Ozero Krugloe base? 🎙 "We have training camps every month at the base, so I train with the national team." Have you already started preparing for the Russian Cup? 🎙 "I am currently in recovery mode and am gradually moving to preparatory mode as part of my preparation for the Russian Cup, which will take place in April in Novosibirsk." Have you already managed to adjust your combinations to the new rules? 🎙 "As for the new rules: practically nothing has changed for us, so I didn't have to change my programs. However, there is an interesting innovation on the vault. Girls who perform jumps of different structures will be awarded a 0.2...