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

[MrSixkiller]

Is it really necessary to allow judges back?

Curious about what the “neutral” music selection will be for the medal ceremonies.

 

[MaryClare]

Is it really necessary to allow judges back?

Curious about what the “neutral” music selection will be for the medal ceremonies.

Russian and Belarusian FIG officials have never been banned. Nelli has been hard at work. So I don’t think having judges should be a big deal.

 

[Denn]

Russian and Belarusian FIG officials have never been banned. Nelli has been hard at work. So I don’t think having judges should be a big deal.

Is she still affiliated with Belarus, though? Or did she become unaffiliated a while back. She was living in the US, I think.

 

[MaryClare]

Is she still affiliated with Belarus, though? Or did she become unaffiliated a while back. She was living in the US, I think.

She is still affiliated. She’s lived in the US over 25 years. She may have dual citizenship, I don’t know but the FIG lists her as BLR.

 

[JDB]

Nelli Kim has permanent residence but does not intend to become a US citizen. Nelli Kim and Liubou Charkashyna both are Belarus-affiliated as far as the FIG is concerned.

On the topic of Belarus, I’m guessing Alina Harnasko is out since her club’s listed as Dynamo. Ivan Litvinovich should be eligible to return if he’s still competing.

 

[MaryClare]

Nelli Kim has permanent residence but does not intend to become a US citizen. Nelli Kim and Liubou Charkashyna both are Belarus-affiliated as far as the FIG is concerned.

On the topic of Belarus, I’m guessing Alina Harnasko is out since her club’s listed as Dynamo. Ivan Litvinovich should be eligible to return if he’s still competing.

Dynamo in Belarus is not run by law enforcement agencies, just like Dynamo in Ukraine is not.

Even in Russia, a large number are now private entities that just retain the name. Especially in sports like gymnastics that don’t make much money but are expensive to run.

 

[makam]

Curious about what the “neutral” music selection will be for the medal ceremonies.

Man, there are so many interesting opportunities here. Do you go with and instrumental of “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” or maybe pick something more modern like an instrumental of Katy Perry’s “Firework”? Does FIG have an anthem like the Olympics do? Play something by Tschaikovsky since he predates the Russian Federation (thought I have no idea if his works have been co-opted by the current government or anything)?

 

[MrSixkiller]

Man, there are so many interesting opportunities here. Do you go with and instrumental of “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” or maybe pick something more modern like an instrumental of Katy Perry’s “Firework”? Does FIG have an anthem like the Olympics do? Play something by Tschaikovsky since he predates the Russian Federation (thought I have no idea if his works have been co-opted by the current government or anything)?

I would assume there is some kind of Olympic anthem, but I would be more than happy to entertain absolutely petty music choices.

 

[Bob]

solid light blue leos is interesting. Wonder if they are allowed to add sparkle or not. I feel that otherwise they are deliberately trying to penalise them on the field of play. And that would be unjust. I get that they don’t want colours or emblems associated with their country.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

I would assume there is some kind of Olympic anthem, but I would be more than happy to entertain absolutely petty music choices.

There is, it got used for the Unified Team golds in team events in 92. I suspect they’d go for that again, comedic potential of other options notwithstanding.

 

[Rich]

Does anyone have a list of who can and cannot compete for women’s gymnastics

 

[MaryClare]

solid light blue leos is interesting. Wonder if they are allowed to add sparkle or not. I feel that otherwise they are deliberately trying to penalise them on the field of play. And that would be unjust. I get that they don’t want colours or emblems associated with their country.

The plain leotards is less of an issue than the use of white apparatus in RG. Ribbon is fine, but for the other equipment it’s very hard to see it in white under arena lights. There is no reason why it couldn’t just be any plain colour.

 

[MaryClare]

Does anyone have a list of who can and cannot compete for women’s gymnastics

No, of course not. That will only be determined by the FIG for athletes to decide to apply for neutral status. Each athlete will be evaluated based on their own situation.

It’s unlikely we’ll see those outcomes made public unless the athletes or the RGF decide to.

 

[JDB]

Thanks for clarifying. Russia not applying would be a big gain for Belarus in RG then. Harnasko and a group could qualify to the Olympics through Euros.

 

[MaryClare]

Thanks for clarifying. Russia not applying would be a big gain for Belarus in RG then. Harnasko and a group could qualify to the Olympics through Euros.

Russian RG is in a slightly different position to AG since they nearly all train at private facilities and other than Dina and Arina, I’m not aware of anyone saying or participating in anything that could be seen as support of military action in Ukraine.

But Belarusian RG still faces the same restrictions regarding attire and more importantly, hand apparatus.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

Can’t wait to see Melnikova stand atop the podium while “Poker Face” plays

 

[irichluck21]

Can’t wait to see Melnikova stand atop the podium while “Poker Face” plays

I doubt Melnikova will be cleared to compete.

 

[MaryClare]

Can’t wait to see Melnikova stand atop the podium while “Poker Face” plays

Melnikova competes for the army sports club

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Looking at the timeframes, the process would have to work very quickly for any Russian or Belarus athletes to be at the world cup series.

The definitive registration deadline for Cairo, the first, is 15th December and nominative registration 15th January. Cottbus is next and it’s 22nd December then 22nd January for them. I don’t know how it would work in practice with late definitive registration anyway, assuming Russia and Belarus can’t enter anyone while the ban is still in place. But even on the assumption it’s allowed, the approval process would have to work promptly. I know gymnasts qualified for 2022 worlds on the basis of winning one world cup, but Olympic qualification is surely going to be much more competitive.

 

[MaryClare]

Looking at the timeframes, the process would have to work very quickly for any Russian or Belarus athletes to be at the world cup series.

The definitive registration deadline for Cairo, the first, is 15th December and nominative registration 15th January. Cottbus is next and it’s 22nd December then 22nd January for them. I don’t know how it would work in practice with late definitive registration anyway, assuming Russia and Belarus can’t enter anyone while the ban is still in place. But even on the assumption it’s allowed, the approval process would have to work promptly. I know gymnasts qualified for 2022 worlds on the basis of winning one world cup, but Olympic qualification is surely going to be much more competitive.

They can enter, as all entries are provisional. The athlete would need to be cleared prior to the competition. It’s the same procedure as happened earlier this year with Nemour. Algeria would enter her for competitions whilst waiting for her clearance to come through, which only did a few days before African championships