Maria Filatova, 1976 and 1980 Olympic Champion. The pictures are separated by 38 years, but the person is the same ... HOMELAND FOR A CHAMPION MARIA FILATOVA FIGHTS FOR RUSSIAN CITIZENSHIP (By Indira Kodzasova. Argumenty i fakty, No. 39, Sept. 24, 2014. Translated by Beth Squires.) After a quest that lasted decades, two-time Olympic gymnastics champion Maria Filatova has received the right to enter Russia. “Argumenty i fakty” deserves some of the credit for this. Just so you will understand about whom we are talking, Maria Yevgenyevna not only has medals of the purest tint from the 1976 and 1980 Olympics, she is a two-time world champion, two-time World Cup holder, European champion, USSR champion and more. All her medals weigh more than 40 kilograms! This remarkable person has been living in the US for many years and fighting to obtain Russian citizenship! (See AiF No. 3 for the year 2013.) * * * FYI: AiF asked Putin to grant citizenship to gymnast Filatova. * * * Homeward!...
Reporting and analysing Russian gymnastics since 2010. Includes original and exclusive interviews with leading coaches and gymnasts, and historical issues dating back to the Soviet Union. The first blog to report extensively on the sport using Russian language sources. I read, I argue, and I have opinions. Be warned.