Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

The Guardian sets out the timetable for the IOC decision and summarises the different viewpoints https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jul/23/russia-olympic-judgment-rio-2016-doping?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_b-gdnnews

Leading Russian gymnast since 2007, Ksenia Afanasyeva has retired from gymnastics for medical reasons, reports Alexei Fililov from R Sport.   Valentina Rodionenko explained that Ksenia has a serious kidney illness. She is in hospital and will take not just days but weeks to recover. Afanasyeva is not just a brilliant gymnast but also a kind, humourous and intelligent team captain.  Her presence will be missed by both spectators and fellow competitors in Rio. Ksenia's place on the Russian team travelling to Rio on Sunday will be taken by the experienced and well prepared Evgenia Shelgunova. RRG would like to wish Ksenia a full recovery.  Get well soon, Ksenia and we will look forward to hearing about your next steps in your new life. http://m.rsport.ru/artist_gym/20160721/993115276.html

Some kind soul - an anonymous contributor - sent RRG a link to this photograph of our team in training just yesterday, listening carefully to the feedback of international judge and member of the FIG WTC Liubov Andrianova-Burda.  Another kind person - Natalia Kalugina - was present.  She tells me that Seda Tutkhalyan is working hard to overcome her psychological problems - and that we should watch her at the Games.  Aliya Mustafina is working hard.  Ksenia Afanasyeva (not in the picture; I believe that she is at a clinic in Khimki) can do floor, but her form isn't great at present as she is still in recovery.  Beam is going well for the team, vault and bars are OK, floor is still rather disappointing; the choreography is poor. In the picture we can see (top) Anton Stolyar, coach, bars (middle) Marina Bulashenko, coach, beam; Seda Tutkhalyan, Aliya Mustafina, Daria Spiridonova, Natalia Kapitonova, Angelina Melnikova, Maria Paseka and (half in, half out) the ...

On Monday WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) will publish lawyer Richard McLaren's report into allegations of widespread and systematic doping in Russian sport, and it seems very likely that they will recommend that Russia is banned from the Rio Olympics across all sports, including gymnastics, not just track and field as it is at present.  The allegations have been made by Dr Grigory Rodchenkov, former head of a Moscow anti-doping lab, based on his experience of testing at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. WADA does not have the authority to ban a country from the Olympics, but if their report proves that cheating has been systematic and coordinated at the highest level, they can recommend sanctions to the IOC (International Olympic Committee).  The IOC has already enacted a ban against Russian track and field athletics, but whether they would consider banning a country across the entire range of Olympic sports is unclear. 'In May Mr. Bach [Thomas Bach, President of the IOC (Internationa...