Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

  War and violence are taken to be the domain of men, in the main … but women suffer too. The Russian female gymnasts are showing a few bruises.    Our ‘new generation’ of Kalmykova, Vasilieva, Roschina, Andreeva and others look well trained, but the lack of opportunity for overseas competition must be a severe disappointment.   24 year old Melnikova has commented that her career has crossed some very interesting times … the doping scandal with all its uncertainty, leading to neutral competition status for the team, Covid and the postponement of competitions, if not a battle with the illness itself for some individuals; and, now, the war with Ukraine, leading to sanctions against Russian competitors.    Finally, Russia’s rather pointless decision to ban themselves from competition as a kind of ‘protest’ against the neutral status they were seeking for so many of their team members.   The fact that Melnikova could carry away individual and tea...

 ‘I was born and raised in Voronezh, my sports career began here and it was Voronezh that I always represented at international competitions. I am not ending my sports career, but I want to try to contribute to the fate of my hometown not only as an athlete, but also as a citizen.’ Source: Sportrian Gymnast Melnikova runs for Voronezh City Duma Angelina has put forward her candidacy for the United Russia primaries, according to registration data on the official portal of the political party's preliminary voting. The Olympic champion in artistic gymnastics is running as a non-partisan candidate. She is running for the post of deputy of the Voronezh City Duma from the 23rd electoral district. Her job title indicates that she is an athlete-instructor of the Russian national artistic gymnastics team.

In artistic gymnastics, these are Kirill Gashkov and coaches Marina Styazhkina (coach of Zlata Osokina) and Valentin Sukhodolsky (coach of Ilya Zaika). 💬Earlier in an interview with TASS, Valentin Sukhodolsky commented on the situation regarding the denial of admission: "My application for neutral status was considered for more than two months, it was submitted at the beginning of this year," Sukhodolsky said. "The response with the refusal came recently." "This is stupidity," is how the TASS source assessed the reason the FIG found to deny him neutral status. "This is just a photo with the Minister of Sports, who no longer held this post at the time my application was considered. Of course, I did not experience any panic after receiving the refusal. I am glad that my athlete Ilya Zaika has neutral status, which allows him to compete in international competitions." 📝Source www.sport-express.ru/rhythmic-g... tass.ru/sport/2361...

https://vkvideo.ru/video/playlist/-228873962_9

In an interview with Izvestia and SE, Nikita Nagorny shared his expectations for cooperation with the new IOC President Kirsty Coventry, and also commented on Alexander Ovechkin's record in the NHL. ❓How successful is the team tournament format in artistic gymnastics? 💬 Huge spectator interest, all tickets are sold out two or three days in advance. When we held such competitions of the gymnastics premier league last year, the 1,500-seat hall in Moscow was filled to capacity. The fan base, the chants - we have never had such emotions in artistic gymnastics in our country. In 2025, we plan to hold more than 40 competitions within the premier league. By the way, gymnasts who have finished their careers as athletes can also participate in them. For example, I recently saw on social networks that our 1996 Olympic champion Nikolai Kryukov, who ended his career more than 10 years ago, is preparing for such a performance. He was the head coach of the Russian youth team when I got there. A...

 Both gymnasts sustained injuries in training.   21 April.  Valentina Rodionenko via TASS has confirmed that Glotova’s injury is a fractured leg caused by a straight legged landing.  It’s serious, and Alena will be out for at least six months. Osokina’s injury seems less severe.  

Angelina Melnikova won’t compete at the Russian Cup next week.  Instead, she will travel to Novosibirsk (where the championships will be staged) and will conduct a Master class.   Source: VK.com I’m unsure why this is happening.  Earlier in the year, Valentina Rodionenko said gymnasts had to compete at Russia Cup if they wanted to be part of the national team, unless they had a doctor’s signature. UPDATE -  Here’s a message from Gelya about her withdrawal from Russian Cup.  It seems her leg injury is still troubling her.  Source: Angelina’s Telegram site via VK.com Dear fans! I have to inform you that I have withdrawn from the Russian Cup. I doubted for a long time whether to take part, because my injured leg still makes itself felt. Together with the coaches and medical staff, we came to the decision to abandon the competition in order to focus on treatment. I have three important starts ahead of me - the Legends Challenge Games, the Universiade in July, a...

TV news clip about the AIN withdrawal.  I don’t know what is being said, but just look at the sad faces.   It looks as though they recruited Nagorny to front this. I don’t for a minute believe that the gymnasts chose this for themselves. https://vk.com/video-4153493_456255896?access_key=8e42a914d38bbd70af Rodionenko presided over this meeting.  He looks close to tears at times - imagine as an octogenarian having your life’s work destroyed at one sweep.  We see Marinov and Listunova speaking, Polyashov present too.  Some of the gymnasts present I don’t recognise.  Melnikova looks devastated as does Roschina.  Andreeva, so young, doesn’t know what’s happened.   FIG, are you going to make a statement?   PS - This is the FIG statement, which I admit I saw, but absent mindedly missed.  The main thing is to look out for further statements after the Exec meeting early next month.  

  Russian gymnastics’ recent decision to withdraw its neutral athletes from international competition, as a protest over some offence or other, is highly uncharacteristic.   Only a few weeks ago, Russia was welcoming FIG President Watanabe into its gymnastics homes, with smiles and hugs exchanged at the highest level.   The gymnasts, including especially Angelina Melnikova, have been training assiduously for a return to the international arena.   There have been excited announcements of the names of those returning to our world of gymnastics.   Russian gymnastics has always been friendly, international and diplomatic.   Good sportsmanship is required of athletes and is generally shown, with a few notable exceptions.   During the depths of the Cold War, Russia’s teams toured the world, staging friendship displays and offering workshops and training.   Russian officials have been at the heart of the sport’s governance since the early 1990s and e...

 Via VK.com, Google translate I have never seen information on the competition organisers before, except for in banners and posters. This reads to me as though the umbrella RGF, responsible for all gymnastics sports in Russia, is taking the lead.  There is also now an RGF whose sole responsibility is artistic gymnastics, but they aren’t mentioned.   At the meeting of the organizing committee, all the nuances of the preparation and holding of a large-scale event were discussed. Novosibirsk is preparing to host the Russian Cup in artistic gymnastics  The meeting was held in the regional government, under the leadership of Deputy Governor Valentina Dudnikova, with representatives of all ministries and departments.  For Russian gymnasts, this tournament will be a significant event, as it is the main stage of selection for the national team for the upcoming major international starts. It will bring together the strongest representatives of the regional teams.  A...

 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...

Nagorny ‘one of the most odious characters in sport’ as FIG issues neutral status to gymnasts from Russia. I take issue with his point on Melnikova training at CSKA - the gymnasts generally join their clubs as children and there isn’t much choice.  Deliberately turning her back on CSKA because of its military connections would be a risky thing to do in Putin’s Russia.   https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/mar/31/gymnastics-embrace-of-russians-highlights-neutrality-blurred-lines?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other