I have tried to allow a little time for people to digest Alexander's interview. It is still early days. There has been some frantic discussion on the gymternet. Most it has characterised the 'story' as an argument between Alexandrov and the Rodionenkos: who was right, and who was wrong? Of course, it will take much more time to stand back and see the whole picture. This is an emotional story that presents itself as a classic confrontation between good and bad. We see the Rodionenkos as paranoid, manipulative dictators, self-interested and determined not to be outshone by a star performer on their team. The spontaneous Alexandrov, on the other hand, is engaging, direct, full of tough love for his gymnasts and focussed only on a desire to see his team perform well. This is a compelling proposition, and it's not surprising that the vast majority of discussion on the internet revolves around this argument. One thing that I find remarkable is how...
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.