Elvira Saadi coaching ban, Elena Davydova temp suspension in Canada

[GLeigh]

I know WCC has a ton of elites, but I’m surprised that wouldn’t be her choice if she’s staying in the US. She’s connected to them through Jordan & Janelle, and she’s also fluent in French I’m pretty sure which of course isn’t necessary but still.

 

[MaryClare]

I know WCC has a ton of elites, but I’m surprised that wouldn’t be her choice if she’s staying in the US. She’s connected to them through Jordan & Janelle, and she’s also fluent in French I’m pretty sure which of course isn’t necessary but still.

A big elite team often puts gymnasts off

 

[esta]

Ana trained in Arizona over Thanksgiving break which is where her boyfriend is from and he’s a student at UCLA so can’t think why he’d be in Utah. If she’s going to Utah I think it would just be to train with Chris Waller. I know she’s familiar with him but has he ever coached elite?

Mohini Bhardwaj, and also assisted Marz Frazier and Vanessa Zamarripa during their brief elite stints while at UCLA.

 

[irichluck21]

He coached Mohini during 2001-2004.
He also coached Zamarippa in 2010.

 

[JDB]

The verdict is in and... oh boy.

Veteran Canadian gymnastics coach handed lifetime ban from working with athletes | TSN

Gymnastics Canada discipline panel concludes Elvira Saadi, who has worked with Olympic-level gymnasts, berated athletes and used physical violence against them, Rick Westhead writes.

www.tsn.ca

 

[Sasha]

Apparently Saadi's methods are unacceptable in Russia. Pretty bad when Rodionenko wants nothing to do with you!

 

[FrolovasDoubleLayout]

Not that I will ever condone any type of abusive training methods/system, I will only take what Valentina Rodionekova says with skepticism. I'm sure that if Saadi were to return to RUS and wanted to coach, Valentina would into her like cabbage into borscht.

 

[MaryClare]

Not that I will ever condone any type of abusive training methods/system, I will only take what Valentina Rodionekova says with skepticism. I'm sure that if Saadi were to return to RUS and wanted to coach, Valentina would into her like cabbage into borscht.

There is most likely some long held grudge with Saadi. Andrei was head coach in Canada I think? So probably they had plenty dealings with both of them

 

[Puffin]

Is there also an difference for Valentina that Davydova is Russian whereas Saadi is from Uzbekistan?

By the way - how long can Valentina hold on? Isn't she 87?

 

[Matilda23]

Saadi seemed impatient with Groshkova in “are you going to the ball?” documentary. And criticised Goryunova’s weight to her.
In a Korbut documentary, Saadi said she didn’t like the way Knysh trained Korbut.

 

[MaryClare]

Is there also an difference for Valentina that Davydova is Russian whereas Saadi is from Uzbekistan?

By the way - how long can Valentina hold on? Isn't she 87?

Whilst Elvira is ethnically Uzbek, I’m fairly certain that she has Russian citizenship. For all of her adult life spent in USSR she was in Moscow. So I don’t think that is the issue here. Plus the Rodionenkos are from Moscow so they are far more likely to hate people from Peterburg than Uzbekistan. I am fairly certain that all of this was born in Canada.

Valentina doesn’t actually do anything, she never has. She just bosses Andrei around.

 

[MaryClare]

Saadi seemed impatient with Groshkova in “are you going to the ball?” documentary. And criticised Goryunova’s weight to her.
In a Korbut documentary, Saadi said she didn’t like the way Knysh trained Korbut.

I wouldn’t necessarily see that as relevant. It was over 30 years ago and as someone who has coached gymnasts both in the UK and Russia (and had the same coaching supervisor as Elvira Saadi), I behave in very different ways, it’s the same for everyone, everyone is aware of this. If I’m being too nice, my colleagues will joke with me that I’m not in England any more.