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 team medals during this time is remarkable; don’t forget that she was World AA Champion in 2021, and it was well deserved.
Russia was strong enough also to take gold as a team in the 2020/21 Olympics. But, sadly, most of that team has now retired: Urazova, Vorona and Gerasimova have all left the stage. Up and coming star, Diana Kustova, withered. Listunova is constantly fighting injury.
The 2024 Olympics came and went with little for the Russians to say except for online ‘congratulations’ to those they would otherwise have celebrated with in person.
In any other Olympic season, at least a couple of these gymnasts, besides Melnikova, would be fighting for Olympic selection in 2028, against our youngsters.
Overseas migration has offered attractive opportunities to retired gymnasts in the past, but it seems difficult these days for the women to find the right placements. Aliya Mustafina has commented on this in her most recent interview (RRG, 4 April). Surely someone somewhere could find a good job to offer to this extraordinarily talented gymnast and coach?
Aliya’s friend Tatiana Nabiyeva now lives and coaches in China. She has married a Chinese man and seems very happy. Her team mate Elena Eremina has a coaching job in Saudi Arabia, alongside her boyfriend Yura. Elena has an agent, speaks very good English, and is keeping up with her English lessons, but even she couldn’t find a place in a country that has an elite programme …
Yana Vorona now works with horses in a circus. Other gymnasts - Ilyankova, Gerasimova, Paseka - have returned to their clubs to coach young gymnasts. Melnikova trains as well as running her own gym, and is now exploring politics as a career path.
I hope this war comes to an end soon so that the suffering endured by Ukraine can end and so that our Russian gymnasts can return to the international arena, and speak their minds once again.
Couldn't resist that last sentence, could you? It's Putin again...
ReplyDeleteSportspeople are diplomats as much as athletes. They do not "speak their minds". They protect their sport, their club, their Federation and their nation. Did the US athletes "speak their minds" while Nasser was abusing so many of them? No. What about your own abusive culture? Did any athletes speak their minds? No. Did anybody complain about the Karolyis? Lance Armstrong? Etc, etc... Speak their minds? That's not what athletes do. The system is supposed to protect them. And yes, speak for them also. They are there to compete and to stay out of politics as much as possible. Their heads need to be in the right place for them to compete at the highest level.
There are laws governing sports and they contain Disrepute clauses. Every nation has them. Every sports governing body has them. What athlete would risk breaking them? Nobody would.
They will speak their minds when they are long-retired, as do most athletes. But even then they will not speak the whole truth.
No Elizabeth Booth, it's not the "Russian State at it again". It's international sport. And you don't understand it at all.
Actually I think you’ll find that athletes did speak out about Karolyi and Nassar. But I don’t entirely see where the point of comparison lies. You are trying to say that sports are about countries presenting their best image. Well, why do otherwise? Your argument lacks any real point. And I don’t think there is anything wrong with hoping for peace. Wouldn’t you rather the war was over?
DeleteIn future, please provide your full name and either a link to your website, or your personal email address. I’m not accepting any more anonymous posts from you.
You reply anonymously demanding I identify myself? OK, whatever...
ReplyDeleteI provide my name in order that you may identify me. You are welcome to it. Blogger does not ask me to provide an email address. I do not have a personal website, just an old Facebook account which I have provided to Blogger. I am not in the public eye but I have nothing to hide.
Regarding the Karolyis and Nasser, some of the athletes spoke up about mistreatment early on but only through official channels. Most of the victims kept it quiet in order to not harm their sport. USAG covered it up to protect themselves and the sport. That's what athletes and their sports federations do. Nobody wants a scandal.
My point is simple. Russia do not gag their athletes any more than any other nation. Every country has rules they expect their athletes to follow. What would happen to an English athlete if they spoke up about Gaza or the English occupation of Northern Ireland? They would never be allowed to represent their country again.
Hope for peace, that is admirable. But blaming one side of a decade-long civil war is childish. When you do that, you end up with Gaza, lots of finger-pointing and no action.