FIG ends ban on Russia and Belarus gymnasts (effective January 1, 2024)

[irichluck21]

you said for worlds but does that also mean for olympics or just olympics they can do AA?

That’s where the confusion is. I’m not really sure. I thought if a gymnast qualified to Paris via Apparatus World Cup in 2024 that they were only qualified for that specific event and could not do all around.

That is the rule currently in place to qualify to Worlds, a gymnast can only compete on the events they qualified for.

Looking for clarification but haven’t found it yet.

 

[Doug1233]

We all knew this was coming. It’s absolutely fucking bullshit, in my opinion.

What was the point of the 2022 sanctions?

 

[tsarinajen]

Well… it does knock both defending team champions out.

 

[irichluck21]

it does knock both defending team champions out.

and opens up a team slot for both sides that otherwise would be taken up.

 

[MaryClare]

What was the point of the 2022 sanctions?

There was zero point. It was always absolutely and completely pointless. Just like err, Oprah’s book club removing War and Peace from its recommendations.

 

[JDB]

In regards to gymnastics, the ban was a result of Ivan Kuliak predictably squandering Morinari Watanabe’s goodwill. But had Kuliak not been the catalyst, another athlete would have. So the point was to show pro-war behavior won’t be tolerated. And the reentry conditions keep the no pro-war condition.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

In a gymnastics context, Russia having been denied the ability to compete a full team for a whole quad, admittedly a short one, and to defend their Olympic team titles is a pretty big deal. We don’t know yet whether there’ll actually be any Russian gymnasts in Paris either.

It also meant we haven’t had to put up with a repeat of Kuliak’s brainiac Z performance either, although in some ways it would’ve been funny to see what would’ve been cobbed at him had he attempted that in Western Europe.

 

[MaryClare]

Exactly. Where as in more lucrative sports, such as tennis, Russian athletes have had little to no restrictions placed upon them as individuals. Obviously when it comes to Olympics, tennis will be in the same boat as any other sport. The impression I get is that people seem to think that tennis in Russia exists separate to other sports and their control from the political machine.

In reality it’s extremely political, influential and Putin aligned. If you have money in Moscow and you want political influence, you get your kid into tennis. Everyone knows this, well except The West apparently

 

[MaryClare]

In regards to gymnastics, the ban was a result of Ivan Kuliak predictably squandering Morinari Watanabe’s goodwill. But had Kuliak not been the catalyst, another athlete would have. So the point was to show pro-war behavior won’t be tolerated. And the reentry conditions keep the no pro-war condition

There is an extremely high probability that had Russian athletes been able to compete during the past 18 months, that Nagornyy would have at some point been an even bigger arsehole than Ivan Kuliak. Why? Because he is an even bigger arsehole than Ivan Kuliak.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Must admit I know very little about tennis.

 

[MaryClare]

Must admit I know very little about tennis.

When Mr Mary Clare worked for VTB in London, they had corporate hospitality at Wimbledon every year for the wives. Longest day of my life, and I’ve judged compulsories at regional competitions in brutalist municipal sports halls during the siberian winter

 

[Lisaelaine80]

Oprah. Ugh.

 

[Lisaelaine80]

The West ain’t bright.

 

[onodian]

I’ve judged compulsories at regional competitions in brutalist municipal sports halls during the siberian winter

Fun fact, this is doug’s wet dream

 

[Jerkin]

The impression I get is that people seem to think that tennis in Russia exists separate to other sports and their control from the political machine.

Well the difference is that tennis players are actually self-sufficient individual athletes who employ their own teams, many have lived abroad for a long time and, most crucially, aren’t paid a direct salary by the Russian Federation. Gymnasts and other Olympic athletes are, through their federation, essentially government employees. Of course some/even many tennis players have other political links, but I personally don’t think this is the same conversation as other Olympic athletes.

There’s a reason why the most prominent Russian tennis players have been able to keep a low profile since Feb '22, with a few brave players even speaking out against it, while we have the shitshow of most gymnasts attending pro-war parades, wearing Zs or even being part of Russian army organisations.

 

[MaryClare]

while we have the shitshow of most gymnasts attending pro-war parades, wearing Zs or even being part of Russian army organisations

Yes, it’s almost as if with money comes freedom…

Tennis players have the money to live abroad and not have obligations from the government. But if you think they don’t receive government money I have a bridge to sell you.

I’ve no idea how this thing came about that Russian tennis athletes are somehow different to other Russian athletes

 

[Jerkin]

I’ve no idea how this thing came about that Russian tennis athletes are somehow different to other Russian athletes

Again, they are individual, independent contractors who only officially play for their country at the team competitions and Olympics. The Russian tennis federation is banned and players can’t compete in team comps just like other Olympic sports, but banning individuals would be another step. If you think all Russian athletes everywhere should be banned, I’m not arguing with that, but these sports are clearly set up differently. Same with the Russian football/hockey players around the world who also haven’t been banned because they are contracted to private franchises/clubs.

I follow tennis. Russian tennis players may receive government money for awards and after winning grand slams etc., but they do not receive funding from the federation from the age of 18. Kasatkina, the top Russian female player, has spoken about this. This topic precedes the war. Kazakhstan poaches Russian players, including last year’s Wimbledon singles champion, because the Russian tennis fed does not pay them.

 

[MaryClare]

I follow tennis

Congratulations. I work in sport in Russia.

Russian tennis players may receive government money for awards and after winning grand slams etc., but they do not receive funding from the federation from the age of 18

Oh well, that’s completely different then…(it’s also completely false)

It comes down to money. Russian tennis players are able to continue competing because of the financial impact to the sport of tennis of not having many of the worlds top players competing

 

[Jerkin]

Congratulations. I work in sport in Russia.

Great. I’ll definitely take the word of Russian players who have been consistent in their criticisms of the RTF for years.

It comes down to money. Russian tennis players are able to continue competing because of the financial impact to the sport of tennis of not having many of the worlds top players competing

That’s… not true at all. There may be numerous successful Russian tennis players but none of them are at all popular enough internationally to shift the dial in any significant way. No offence to Daniil Medvedev and Daria Kasatkina, but they are entirely replaceable. They were banned from competing at Wimbledon and in Britain last year and their absences made no difference to the success of those events.

Russian tennis players are able to continue competing because the ATP and WTA are player member associations as well as governing bodies and they argued it would be discrimination to ban any players from competing in open tournaments. Why? Because, yet again, they are individual, independent contractors.

Have a good day.

 

[MaryClare]

Great. I’ll definitely take the word of Russian players who have been consistent in their criticisms of the RTF for years

Who needs government propaganda when western sports fans will happily tell us “I think you must be mistaken”