Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

I’m not happy about this … the RGF has run a masterclass in what they are calling the Donetsk People’s Republic.  Of the Russian Olympic gymnasts I can see Nagorny there, and Urazova, don’t recognise the others apart from Stretovich, whose Instagram this is. It would be nice if this were an olive branch for peace, but I think it’s more of an Empire for President Putin.   Translation : ‘i.stretovich96 A significant event for the Donetsk People's Republic The Russian Gymnastics Federation held a master class in Donetsk For me personally, this is an important and significant moment. Gymnastics in the republic was, is and will be! Thank you for the warm welcome.’

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.  ...

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...

Translated from R Sport.  What the President says about relations with the FIG and IOC is echoed by Nagorny in another short interview.  Nagorny wants there to be international competitions with Russian gymnasts - but this doesn’t account for the sanctions.  Given his work as a TV/online producer he may be looking for a form of cultural exchange that sidesteps the usual structures.  But I wouldn’t bet on it happening … Now read on, via Rsport: Oleg Belozerov, head of Russian Railways, who was elected president of the Russian Gymnastics Federation, said that the unification of gymnastics federations of countries was the most important element for direct interaction with the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 🙏"I would like to thank all the participants of today's conference for electing me president of the Russian Gymnastics Federation: the Ministry of Sports, the Russian Olympic Committee, and delegates. The most...

Presidium of the Russian Gymnastics Federation 🇷🇺 Artistic gymnastics: Vasily Titov (First Vice President), Nikita Nagorny (Vice President), Andrey Rodionenko, Dmitry Andreev, Alexander Klochkov, Anton Krapivin. Rhythmic gymnastics: Anastasia Tatareva (Vice President), Olga Kapranova (Vice President), Yana Lukonina, Victoria Anikina, Raisa Terekhova and Dmitry Golovin. Trampoline jumping: Nikolay Makarov (Vice President), Vladislav Skakun, Irina Karavaeva, Anatoly Kovarsky, Alexey Ryzhkov and Elena Fedorenchik. Sports aerobics: Vladislav Oskner (Vice President), Svetlana Perevalova and Svetlana Lukina. Sports acrobatics: Irina Nikitina (vice-president), Teimuraz Gurgenidze and Dmitry Vinnikov. ❗Oleg Belozerov, the president of the Russian Gymnastics Federation elected on October 1, is also a member of the presidium.