Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

Almost two years ago the IOC sanctioned Russia for invading Ukraine.  The IOC effectively banned Russia’s team from international competition in Olympic sports.   2020/1 was therefore Russia’s last Olympics, but even so they competed then not as Russia, but under the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee. There has been a long history of ‘diplomatic’ conflict between Russia and the IOC.  You could think back as far as 1984 when the team boycotted the LA Olympics, but more recently we begin with the ‘state doping’ that went on in particular at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in 2014.  Gymnastics wasn’t affected at that time as the sport of gymnastics is clean, but the sanctions on sport in Russia, in general, have gradually become stronger.  It’s now only possible for gymnasts to compete internationally as individuals, with neutral status.  Neutral status is granted by their sporting administrative bodies, in our case the FIG.   It’s not an easy job, eit...

You can read the Examiner article below for details if the FIG’s somewhat disappointing financial performance.  Perhaps you have some ideas how it could be improved?  Live streaming of quals could be one new income stream. In the meantime, my opinion.  Never forget that Russian bank VTB was a sponsor of FIG before the sanctions took hold.    Russia’s withdrawal from the sport has directly reduced income - firstly, no VTB sponsorship; secondly the sport has less entertainment value without the artistic, innovative and technically proficient gymnasts of Russia.  This again affects income levels as reduced spectator interest and the resulting decrease in sponsorship and broadcast revenues. I’m not arguing about the need for sanctions, either way.    Just pointing out that if you cut off the limbs, the body will be affected. https://www.thesportsexaminer.com/gymnastics-fig-2024-financial-report-shows-very-modest-19-million-in-2024-revenue-but-good-res...

I don’t understand why Russia would bother to try to register for Worlds,  as they had said they didn’t want individual athletes to take up neutral status.  Russia is effectively banned from competing as a team internationally in all Olympic sports. Via Sports Express, Google translate. ❗Russia has applied to participate in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships The preliminary application for the World Championships, which will be held in late October in Jakarta (Indonesia), includes 14 neutral athletes, eight men and six girls. A maximum of six men and four girls can be registered from a country for this World Championships. Thus, at least two men and two girls have been registered from Russia, provided that Belarus has used its full quota. However, it is possible that each country has registered four men and three girls. On April 5, representatives of all Russian gymnastics disciplines announced that they were refraining from international competitions due to unjustifi...

 An official announcement, via VK.  Google translate. Official statement of the Russian Gymnastics Federation All Russian athletes representing artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, who received "neutral status", decided to refrain from participating in the upcoming competitions under the auspices of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). The reason for this decision is the numerous unfounded and biased refusals of the FIG special committee to allow our gymnasts to compete. The Russian Gymnastics Federation respects and shares the position of the athletes. President of the Russian Gymnastics Federation Oleg Belozerov: "I respect the athletes' decision and understand what it is dictated by. At our meeting on March 10, Mr. Watanabe said that "I would like to use all my strength to once again think about the role of sport in this world. Sport should unite and give friendship, it should not be a tool for increasing hatred. The rights of every person must be resp...

Via VK.com.  Google translate A big interview with Aliya Mustafina was published on MATCH!. We provide a small excerpt below, and the full version is available on the website at the link below  ❓ Aliya, you are now the head coach of the junior artistic gymnastics team. What does your typical day look like? 💜 My current life is similar to what it was when I was competing. In the morning, I have breakfast and go to work by 9:00, we train for four hours, have lunch, rest and train for another three hours. During the training camp, the athletes live at the base. They live and train on the same territory. ❓ Do you manage the gymnasts' personal trainers or do you evenly distribute the responsibilities? 💜 We work in contact with the personal trainers, I listen to their opinions. For example, if the trainer believes that their athlete needs to be given a little rest or do fewer repetitions of a particular exercise, we do so. ❓ Describe the current generation of children. Do they nee...

First of all, the gymnasts are continuing to work on their applications to compete as neutral individuals in FIG competitions.  I know for sure that the applications will include Viktoria Listunova and Angelina Melnikova. Please bear in mind that Russia still won't be competing as a team.  There will be limits on the numbers of gymnasts they can send to each competition, but I don't know how this will be decided or how the qualifications to Worlds will work.  Or if qualified individual gymnasts will even be allowed to go to the Olympics.  Will the gymnasts take their own personal coaches with them, or will the national coaches accompany them?  It's all a mystery. The national team rosters for 2025 have been published and not much has changed. The list of coaches seems almost identical.  Head coaches are still the Rodionenkos, Alfosov remains as head of the men's team and Bulgakova is still looking after the women.  Mustafina has kept her job as head of...

I’ve reached a time in my life when it’s more important to watch the birds and listen to my nephews and nieces laughing than it is to write about Russian gymnastics.  I  have a couple of ‘wrap ups’ in the pipeline but that’s all, folks. The Olympics just aren’t the Olympics without the Russians, at least for me.  I wish Russia would put their energy into great sport instead of military endeavours.  I’m no fan of the IOC and the Russian gymnasts did a lot of good for peace and friendship over about 70 years.  But Russia’s leaders are letting their people down.   I’ll continue to walk alongside Angelina Melnikova and will post occasional updates of her work and life on my RRG Facebook page.  She is remarkable.   I hope that Russia’s young gymnasts can find a way to continue what is essentially their livelihood, if necessary by moving overseas.  It would be great if some of them could study abroad. I’m unfollowing Nagorny.  He walked with a...

Simone Biles is not the only story in Olympic gymnastics, though she may be the easiest and most compelling angle for general sports reporters. Actually, though, a bigger story is that the Russians aren’t at these Games - well, apart from a few judges and officials whose wisdom, technical knowledge and taste distinctions obviously make the sport of gymnastics hang together.    At least the FIG must think so and the IOC must agree, as they have given the judges permission to attend and officiate. If some branches of social media are to be believed, even Russian journalists have been declined accreditation at the Games - just in case they are spies. Bercy is haunted by the ghost of Russians past and present who have filled its vertiginous, intimate  rangs  with passionate, noisy and highly knowledgeable followers for decade after decade of heady gymnastics.    Every great Soviet and Russian must at some point have competed here in this grassy clad arena, surr...

Angelina poses on beam during filming of a drama about the 1980 Olympics "I'll be rooting for the Russians": [Russian neutral athletes] Olympic champion on the Paris Games and the most important competitions of recent years Gymnast Melnikova named Simone Biles the favorite of the Paris Olympics Angelina is in a reflective but upbeat move here as she talks about the Olympics and more ... and on social media, she has thanked her international fans for supporting her through thick and thin! Now, read on ...  Olympic champion in artistic gymnastics Angelina Melnikova, in an interview with Gazeta.Ru, promised to root for neutral Russian athletes at the Games in Paris, named American Simone Biles the favourite of the tournament, talked about filming the Kinopoisk series “Games” about the Moscow Olympics in 1980, where she had to perform elements on the balance beam for 10 hours, and also admitted that she is looking forward to the Friendship Games in 2025. “I am very happy t...