Irina Viner called the performance of Russians at the Olympic Games without a flag and anthem a disgrace
The head of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, Irina Viner, announced that her athletes will no longer compete at international tournaments in a neutral status. TASS reports this.
According to her, until recently the country’s representatives could only count on one place at the Games. “But why is it needed? Without a flag, without an anthem, without communication, without fans, in a special uniform, to special music,” said Wiener.
It would be a shame if we went there. I believe that this will be very humiliating for Russia. But Russian rhythmic gymnastics will definitely not go there, and we will never again perform without the flag and anthem of Russia
Russian gymnasts were allowed to compete starting next year
In July 2023, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), which has jurisdiction over both rhythmic and artistic gymnastics, decided to allow Russians to compete in a neutral status.
It was clarified that gymnasts will be able to take part in competitions that will take place after January 1, 2024. To compete in tournaments, athletes must submit an individual application and receive approval from the FIG. In this case, the process must take place without participation or communication with the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus, national federations or national Olympic committees of the two countries. In addition, athletes’ uniforms should be light blue, rhythmic gymnastics apparatus should be completely white, and the musical accompaniment should not hint at nationality.
Previously, FIG extended the suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions several times. Gymnasts have not taken part in tournaments since March 2022.
The Russian artistic gymnastics team refused to participate in the World Cup
On December 10, the team’s senior coach, Valentina Rodionenko, announced that her athletes would not take part in the World Cup stages, which will be held in the spring of 2024.
We do not agree to participate in these competitions until they change the requirements they have added to neutral status. These conditions are simply destroying us. Athletes who are involved in law enforcement agencies, Dynamo, CSKA, or the army are not allowed, even if they are in military service. They came up with a flag for us, naturally, without our symbols and anthem. Lots of humiliating demands
On September 25, Rodionenko spoke about the attitude of athletes to performing at the Olympic Games in a neutral status.
“Why should the president of the federation convince anyone if the athlete himself does not even think about riding under a neutral flag. In our sport, we know that there are no such people,” she said.
Two Russian swimmers refused to go to the Games in Paris in a neutral status
On December 17, two-time Olympic champion in swimming Evgeny Rylov announced his refusal to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games. The athlete criticized the conditions put forward by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the Russians.
I do not follow the lead of the IOC, I am for clean sport. I made an informed decision: I refuse to go to the Olympic Games until all this nonsense settles to the bottom and our water becomes clean again
On December 9, another Russian swimmer, two-time Olympic medalist and world record holder Kliment Kolesnikov, refused to participate in the Games. He emphasized that the IOC took a good step by deciding on admission. “There are guys who are ready to agree to these conditions. I will be happy for them,” Kolesnikov added.
Evgeny Rylov
Photo: Egor Aleev / TASS
The IOC allowed Russians and Belarusians to participate in the 2024 Olympics in neutral status
On December 8, the IOC announced the admission of Russians and Belarusians to the Olympics in Paris. Athletes will be able to take part in the tournament as individual neutral athletes. At the same time, athletes who support a special operation in Ukraine and have connections with the armed forces or security agencies of Russia and Belarus will not get to Paris. Representatives of team sports will also miss the tournament.
The IOC’s decision was appreciated by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He noted that he favors the participation of Russian athletes in major competitions. “But if these are politically motivated artificial conditions aimed at cutting off our leaders, medal contenders, then the Ministry of Sports and the ROC must make an informed decision,” he emphasized.
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Russia has already competed at the Olympics in a neutral status
For the first time, the national team was stripped of its flag and anthem at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang for violating anti-doping rules. After that, the Russians competed in a neutral status at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.
Representatives of Russian rhythmic gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics failed to win gold medals in two types of programs: in the individual all-around, Dina Averina took silver, and in the group exercises, the Russian team consisting of Anastasia Bliznyuk, Anastasia Maximova, Anastasia Tatareva, Alisa Tishchenko and Angelina Shkatova also became second.
Source: Lenta
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