2022 All Russia Spartakiad (Government sponsored competiton/Pro-Government message, NOT FIG or RGF sponsored meet)

[tsarinajen]

Some videos are popping up. And Doug is going to have a field day with the scoring as it seems “slightly” inflated in some places.

Melnikova hit a gorgeous triple L spin. And she’d have been in the hunt to defend her title.





Listunova would have been a title contender at worlds too.

Edit to add: videos are showing up here on Twitter.

 

[MaryClare]

Ugh. I am disappointed that western gymnastics media is covering this event and I am especially surprised to see it here.

Spartakaida (the term all Russia is controversial and pro nationalist even here in Russia) is an event run by the ministry of sport (this being why Kuliak is competing- it’s not a RGF event) and is pure pro government propaganda.

 

[Marcio_Custodio]

Listunova is such a cute dancer. Love her enthusiasm but that ghostbuster piece was so randomly put in the middle of it.

Urazova seems out of breath. Its nice to see her confident with her piked full in and all those turns.
That front double full though

 

[GymBeauty]

Melnikova hit a gorgeous triple L spin. And she’d have been in the hunt to defend her title.

I feel bad for the Russian athletes being left out, but at the same time she was overscored last season and Leanne Wong should have won Worlds. Definitely don’t need to see her hideous Cheng outscoring better vaulters either.

 

[tsarinajen]

Sorry MaryClare, I wasn’t aware.

@moderators, do you want me to delete it?

 

[Doug1233]

Literally ran here to post about the Triple L!

 

[Doug1233]

Sorry MaryClare, I wasn’t aware.

@moderators, do you want me to delete it?

We are here for the gymnastics. No need to delete.

 

[MaryClare]

Oh well, that’s ok then :roll_eyes:

 

[Doug1233]

Oh well, that’s ok then :roll_eyes:

Personally I don’t care as much about a competition with Russian athletes in Russia. I would probably feel uneasy if we were posting videos of the medal ceremonies with VIPs high up in the Russian government. Sure. Posting clips of the routines is hardly enabling Russian government propaganda.

I agree with the ban on any Russian delegation participating at international events; particularly where Ukrainian gymnasts may legitimately be competing. I find it curious, but not surprising, that Russian judges are seemingly exempt.

 

[MaryClare]

Doug, the whole competition is literally Russian government propaganda. It’s run and funded by our government, not the Russian gymnastics federation. That’s the whole point of Spartakaida and has been dating back to communist times. In other sports there are some athletes curiously absent and no one knows if they’ve declined as a political statement or if they’ve been blacklisted by the government (the prize money/gifts make it lucrative).

I’m not suggesting that the gymternet ignores the competition completely, that would be a bit strange but I’m surprised that given the situation in Ukraine, that it’s being reported on as if it’s any ordinary domestic competition

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I didn’t know anything at all about the nationalistic connotations and state funding of Spartakiade until this thread, and had watched quite a few of the videos already without picking up on any of that. I did assume that it would be somewhat politicised because obviously the federation will want to be seen to be world leading in order to try and make it look like the medallists at worlds are by default. Glad MC has brought it to our attention anyway.

 

[Sasha]

Thanks @MaryClare for the heads up, I’ll sit this one out. I’m curious about the timing of the competition relative to the mobilisation - any connection? Or is it held regularly at this time of year?

 

[onodian]

I mean I had no idea about the political connotations. While I do agree with the ban, for athletes specially of the ages of Listunova, it absolutely sucks balls, they’re not guilty of anything, so on the one hand I like to see her competing and I’m glad to see her but of course like I said I have absolutely no idea of what kind of a competition is this.

Just as an honest question, how would you like to see this framed here MC? You seem to know the most out of anybody here

 

[Caligym]

Could someone with more knowledge than me score these routines to counteract some of the propaganda? Because a couple of those E scores, particularly BB and FX, seem mathematically impossible.

 

[Doug1233]

Can you post a couple where the scoring is particularly egregious and I’ll take a look.

 

[Caligym]

 

[Doug1233]

I have 7.9 (A1) for Listunova BB.

7.7 (A1) for Listunova floor (downgrade double L and switch full).

7.7 (A2) for Melnikova floor.

 

[Caligym]

Thanks! They got 8.8, 8.533, 8.4….

 

[Doug1233]

Thanks! They got 8.8, 8.533, 8.4….

Well that’s… something!

They obviously want to try and compare these scores to Worlds scores so they can forever say that Russia would have won team gold.

They can think whatever they like tbh. These are still pretty solid routines that would undoubtedly score in the top routines in the world. They all have rather large errors. Without them, they’d be up there pushing for medals.

But you’re right, that’s pretty silly scoring. Quite embarrassing really, seeing as the Russians have quite a solid presence on the WTC.

Would be interested in seeing how others score them.

 

[Maeloc_Cao]

Could you score down the FX of Urazova? I’m curious. Thanks