Skip to main content

Ten gymnasts in training for Rio; Swiss lawyers will defend Kuksenkov's innocence

By
Head coach Valery Alfosov has unreservedly supported Russian AA champion Nikolai Kuksenkov, naming him to a group of ten gymnasts eligible for participation in Rio even though the gymnast's selection for international competition is currently impossible due to a positive drugs test.

The RGF is employing Swiss lawyers to defend Kuksenkov's 'honour and innocence'.  Russian gymnasts stopped taking meldonium last August 2015 although the drug is known for remaining in the system for long periods of time.  Other gymnasts have shown traces of the drug in their samples, but Kuksenkov's was 'scanty' but minimally over the limit.  No Russian gymnast should have this problem, says Alfosov. (Rodionenko earlier pointed out that gymnasts only take those supplements and medications given to them by the team doctor; they are not even permitted to buy over the counter cold medications or to self medicate at all).

Alfosov said that five gymnasts would travel to Rio, and two reserves, 'off list', who would act as reserve in the event of illness or injury.  The final selection would be made on the basis of performance at the Europeans and Russia Cup.

The ten gymnasts training for Rio are - 

Denis Ablyazin
David Belyavski
Nikita Ignatyev
Emin Garibov
Nikita Nagorny
Artur Dalolyan
Ivan Stretovich
Vladislav Polyashov
Dmitri Lankin
Nikolai Kuksenkov

Labels:

Comments

  1. Queen Elizabeth6 April 2016 at 13:02

    Of interest to this case - http://townhall.com/news/world/2016/04/06/ibu-says-it-will-delay-rulings-on-meldonium-doping-cases-n2144316

    ReplyDelete
  2. Russiafan11 April 2016 at 19:46

    Hello Queen Elizabeth,

    I am off topic with this message, but I am wondering what you thought of the Russian Nationals. I was happy to Mustafina look good, but I hope they are not pushing her too early. What did you think of the competition and how team Russia looks?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Queen Elizabeth11 April 2016 at 22:40

      Please bear with me - it was an extremely interesting competition and I have lots to say. Will be posting in the coming days.
      BTW I think Aliya chose to compete. And I think despite doctor's orders etc it was a good thing. It is really now or never if she wants to be ready for Rio.

      Delete
    2. Russiafan11 April 2016 at 23:08

      Thanks for the reply! I look forward to reading your assessment. I was surprised to see how good she looked on both bars and beam so soon after her treatment. She's such a fighter. Cheers!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13 April 2016 at 09:08

      I'd like to hear your analysis on Tutkhalyan. Seda has such a difficult and interesting program which could challenge the top 3 AA gymnasts in Rio, like Biles, if she manages to stabilize it well and upgrade vault. Valentina seemed not enthusiastic about Seda's difficulty rather than stability. Can't wait to hear from you on that. Alfi

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who really won the WAG All Around?

By
You will find a link to the FIG's newly published book of results at the Olympic Games here .  This year, they have broken down the judge's execution scores so you can see exactly how each judge evaluated the gymnasts' performances.  It makes for interesting reading - if only I had more time to analyse each judge's marking.  A skim reading already highlights multiple inconsistencies in individual judges' marks and makes you wonder why they bother with the jury at all. I have taken the time to look at the reference judges' scores for the top four in the women's all around.  The FIG explains here what their role is, and how they are selected.  I even used my calculator, which is a risky thing in my hands.  My, how I wish we could have seen a similar document for the Tokyo World Championships. I wonder if anyone can explain how, if the FIG's Code of Points is so objective and fair, it is possible to come up with two different results using two differ...
70 comments
Read more

Aliya Mustafina - 'each medal is very special'

By
'I'm very happy that everything turned out well today  ... Each medal is very special.  The UK team made mistakes, so there was a wide margin [of victory]... But naturally, [what I did] is not enough for the Olympics.  I prepared well for beam and bars but I am not ready for floor, I stepped up to help the team. ... To be honest, I did not look at the scores [when asked how the team reacted to the 6.5 gap before the final apparatus].  Gelya (Melnikova) is a good girl, she did everything and did not falter ... Seda fell on quite a complex element.  There is more work to do, but everything else went well.' [About a protest taken by the coaches on her beam score]. 'I am used to my protests being rejected, everything is normal!' Via vk.com I n other news , the UEG has confirmed that Spiridonova will replace Melnikova in tomorrow's bars final. No reason is given, but it is generally considered that Dasha has a better chance of gold.  This decision also means tha...
63 comments
Read more

Simone and the others - results and reflections

By
In the end, it was as predicted : Simone and the others, with Simone's teammate, Alexandra Raisman, providing the back up.  I do not need to point out that, by definition, the Americans are scoring significantly higher marks than the rest of the field.  Congratulations to them! Aliya Mustafina finished in third place.  The 2012 bronze medalist led the competition after vault and uneven bars, but had a very nervous outing on beam that might have taken a less experienced gymnast out of the medals.  A bravura performance on floor brought Aliya back though to confirm her third place all around.  From her senior debut in 2010 to today, Mustafina has continuously set high standards of grace.    It is the first time since 2000 that a gymnast (Amanar) has medalled in the all around at two consecutive Olympics, and  if Aliya can medal on Saturday's uneven bars final, she will once again be Russia's biggest medal winner of the women's gymnastics.  Russ...
56 comments
Read more

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more