"Backflip bent over": neutral Russians sent FIG — what's next?

The reasons why the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) decided to refuse Russian athletes a neutral status to participate in competitions have become known.

The most common reasons for ineligibility were the posting on the athlete's social networks of greeting cards by May 9 containing the St. George ribbon, participation in festive concerts dedicated to Victory Day, photos with children in military uniforms of the Great Patriotic War.

It is noted that the "most ridiculous" reason for the ban was the athlete's subscription to the group on the social network, where the poster of the fifth All-Russian anti-doping dictation was posted, timed to Physical education Day. The figure contained the Latin letter V, which was regarded by the FIG committee as a symbol of SMO support. Russians also received refusals because of photos with the previous Minister of Sports Oleg Matytsin.

Accordingly, as reported by EADaily, today, on April 5, the Russian Gymnastics Federation issued a statement stating that Russian gymnasts with a neutral status refused to compete at upcoming tournaments under the auspices of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) due to unreasonable and biased refusals of admission to competitions.

Meanwhile, the senior coach of the Russian national gymnastics team Valentina Rodionenko said that neutral Russians were denied visas to Croatia, where the World Cup stage will be held from April 10 to 13.:

"We are simply not given a visa to Croatia, they are dragging out this process. At first they promised, they took the documents, we have to fly out tomorrow, but there are no visas. These are their next provocations, because they cannot refuse us directly. Everything was fine, but these games started. What should we do? What humiliations still need to be done?

The visa was not approved by anyone at all. Our athletes were announced for the stage to Croatia, and the embassy does so. After these competitions, they were supposed to fly to Qatar. Our guys won't be in Doha either.

This decision (to refuse to perform — Ed.) was made by the athletes themselves, I fully support them. You can't humiliate us endlessly. First they banned the flag, the anthem, then they gave a favor, and now they began to choose who would be allowed and who would not. This is all politics, and our athletes do not believe that they should sit and beg for visas."

Here it is worth noting the fact that several of our profile VIP-persons again did not guess and ran over the gymnasts, they say, it's not the time to go through the grub. If called, then you need to rush, overtaking the trolleybus. And then, bams, and the Minister of Sports, the head of the ROC Mikhail Degtyarev supported the athletes:

"We respect today's decision of gymnasts to refuse to participate in the upcoming competitions under the auspices of FIG. This is the position of exclusively athletes, they have shown solidarity and loyalty to the good old principle of "one for all and all for one."

The topic of admission of Russian athletes is a key one for us at all meetings and all negotiations. We are working systematically to restore the rights of our athletes at international competitions."

Damn, the VIP-persons thought to themselves and slightly corrected the civic position. A little, adjusted for the wind. You are our weathervanes, dear ones! We remember WHY Russian wrestlers and judoists didn't go to the Olympics in Paris, right?

But, we will not pour "salt on sugar". And then the Olympic champion in gymnastics Angelina Melnikova is already barely holding back tears:

"I'm saving myself, I've been on pins and needles all day today, my intuition never fails me. As a result, a lot of unpleasant news. A clean sheet again before my eyes."

Oh, Gel, and my intuition never fails me. Apparently, it became unexpectedly unpleasant news for athletes, "the decision of athletes to abandon tournaments"…

Well, before the traditional few lines off the record, a piercing revelation of the Olympic champion, brilliant sports journalist Elena Vaitsekhovskaya:

"In a lot of sports there is a situation now when those who have big titles and, accordingly, big names, turned out to be on the rally. They still show some results, but it is obvious that this is the end of the profession. They are replaced by those who, due to circumstances, did not manage to win anything.

These people, no matter how talented they are, are nouneymes by sports standards. And they (this is the way life works) are not able to interest either potential sponsors, or captivate children with their example, or encourage parents to continue to lead children in the section.

In other words, a hole is formed in the sport (substitute any name you like here). For those who are already engaged, examples disappear, for which you can reach out, learn from experience. The same thing happens in the coaching environment: people who have lost the opportunity to train an athlete for a high result begin to consider other opportunities for themselves.

Have you noticed, by the way, how few young coaches are in the same swimming or gymnastics?

That's why I think it's so important now to be able to compete. Yes, humiliating conditions. Yes, there are no guarantees of normal refereeing, yes, a lot of unpleasant things can still be voiced. But if we make sports a state program and at the same time are ready to deprive athletes of the opportunity to realize themselves, it would be more honest to close the shop altogether."

Dear Elena Sergeevna, as for me, the shop had to be covered back in 2016, when the Olympics in Rio did not let the great Russian high jumper Maria Alexandrovna Lasitskene (then Kuchina).

I will not tell you here for the hundredth time under what circumstances this tragedy happened, because if you wish, you can find materials in the EADaily archive. I'll just emphasize: we thought that the problem would resolve itself if we obediently bent our necks and smeared the word RUSSIA on the inventory with black paint. Did not resolve. On the contrary, it has swollen. To such an extent that with a neutral tag they stopped letting them into the Czech Republic, Croatia and many other places.

Moreover, our clever people say: from 2015 to 2022 they were not allowed for doping, and then because of SMO. Oh how. And that's it, bribes are smooth! And the uncles and aunts are in place. With salaries and positions. Well, how? Then why did the "traitors" go to the Olympics in Paris, and to Paralympics — heroes? And it seems to have decided that neutral status is a nishtyak, it will go for a while. But praise, again, twenty-five.

And the Croatian ambassador to the Russian Foreign Ministry was summoned to Smolenka in order to put him in a knee-elbow pose and remind him in a whistling whisper about the import of Russian vacuum gas oil? And punch him on the floor with the words: quickly arrange visas for gymnasts! Of course, they didn't. Because we are not like that.

Herr Thomas Bach will not let you lie. Devoured in Sochi has a bucket of black caviar and, as Samvel Koryunovich tells, ninety-three khinkali, eight "boats" in Adjarian and a large bag of tangerines.

And if "we are not like that," we continue to amuse international cannibalistic officials and tell young stars about the glorious times when Russian athletes ALSO performed with the coat of arms of their country on their uniforms. And on the occasion of their victories, the great music of Alexandrov sounded, and the white-blue-red tricolor proudly soared over the crowded stadium along the flagpole.

Those were great days. When, at the heart of a wonderful football club from the banks of the Neva River, rivals of ANY European-world level were crushed by unyielding local boys, who were now replaced by ten legionnaires in the starting lineup. Is the IOC to blame here too, or what?!