Kapitanova or Tutkhalyan? The ever changing seas of Russian gymnastics

Tutkhalyan and Melnikova - gymnastics dynamite and Russia's not so secret weapon for the Rio OlympicsJust as I was about to go to bed last night one of our readers posted a link to a Tass article in which Valentina Rodionenko repeats the team membership for Europeans, but with...

Read More

Melnikova leads the Russians to Berne

15 year old Angelina Melnikova will make her major senior international debut in a few weeks' timeAccording to an interview by Alexey Zubakov with Valentina Rodionenko, the final line-ups of both the men's and women's teams for the Berne Championships have now been determined.MAG...

Read More

Komova still in contention for a spot at Euros, Kuksenkov selected for Berne

In an interview with Tass correspondent Albert Starodubtsev, Valentina Rodionenko has refreshed ideas of those in contention for the upcoming European Championships. MAG - 25 to 29 May - registrations will be sent to the UEG tomorrow.  The team will include Nikolai...

Read More

'Brazil will miss Romanian gymnastics' - Valentina Rodionenko

In an interview with sports analyst Alexei Zubakov, Russia's head coach Valentina Rodionenko has commented on the state of WAG Gymnastics at the Rio Olympics, following on from yesterday's qualifying event.  'We are very sorry ... for four decades one of Russia's main opponents was the Romanian national team.  Brazil will miss the Romanian...

Read More

A changing of the guard

I certainly wasn't the only one who observed events in Rio yesterday.  And what a sad day, to see Romania fall out of contention for a team place in the Rio Olympics, so suddenly and so brutally after months of anticipation.  Although the team's performance was consistent...

Read More

It's official - Kuksenkov can compete!

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency RUSADA has now lifted the temporary suspension of Nikolai Kuksenkov, reports R Sport.This follows on from an announcement by the World agency, WADA, detailing the terms of a possible 'amnesty' for athletes with very low levels of the drug Meldonium...

Read More

Angelina Melnikova - Tsaritsa of Russian Gymnastics

An interview with the new Russian leader Angelina Melnikova.  She sounds like such a nice, level-headed, serious girl.  I can't wait to see her compete at Europeans.  Angelina Melnikova from Voronezh has won three top awards in the Russian Championships - in the...

Read More

WADA ruling about Meldonium excretion rates - implications for Kuksenkov and Russia

A key document has been published - link here - https://wada-mailing-list.s3.amazonaws.com/2016-04-12-Meldonium_Notice_Final.pdf.   It is worth reading.Key section is this -'When a prohibited substance is detected, it is up to the athlete to establish the circumstances surrounding the entry of the substance into his or her body (including the...

Read More

Ten gymnasts in training for Rio; Swiss lawyers will defend Kuksenkov's innocence

Head coach Valery Alfosov has unreservedly supported Russian AA champion Nikolai Kuksenkov, naming him to a group of ten gymnasts eligible for participation in Rio even though the gymnast's selection for international competition is currently impossible due to a positive drugs test.The RGF is employing Swiss lawyers to defend Kuksenkov's 'honour and...

Read More

Nikolai Kuksenkov has tested positive for meldonium

Initial reports coming out of Russia suggest that Kuksenkov's absence from today's event finals at Russian nationals were the result of his withdrawal on the basis of a positive drugs test taken on 15th March.Valentina Rodionenko says the test showed a 'minimal' measure and stresses that gymnasts stopped taking Mildronate last August.  Investigations...

Read More