'Our gymnasts will stand proud, even if they have to miss Rio' - Natalia Kalugina

It has been a busy day in the press, and, I expect, a busy day at Lake Krugloye, where both teams are putting the finishing touches to their routines for Rio.  Can we spend some time thinking about how they must be feeling at this uncertain time?  Is there anything readers of RRG can do to support our teams?  If you have any imagery, video, memes or even just words of support, please post links to them in the comments and I will disseminate them through my various social media channels.  (You might find it easier to post pictures and video on the RRG Facebook page.)  Some will reach the gymnasts, and I am certain that your support will help them.  

Let me say, right away, I believe in our gymnasts 100%.  I do not for one moment think that any of them has done anything to deserve the doubt and innuendo that has been cast on them today.  In my opinion, the IOC will throw out the WADA recommendations as unfair and unworkable.  In the meantime, our gymnasts - I cannot speak informedly about any other sport - will have been carrying a double load.  Imagine working for most of your life to justify your place on one of the best teams in the world, only to be told, seven days before your departure, that you might or might not be travelling - and you haven't even done anything wrong. How unfair for these athletes to be tainted in such a manner.

Throughout the day, the situation has developed.  I have been posting regular updates on my Twitter account.  Just to round up, it has become clear that the IOC is unhappy that the McLaren Report has essentially been 'leaked' before the findings have even been officially released.  Pat Hickey, President of the European Olympic Committee, has released a statement.  She says that she is 'shocked and concerned' about the release of the wording of a letter calling for a widespread ban of Russia.   She continues, 

"My concern is that there seems to have been an attempt to agree an outcome before any evidence has been presented. Such interference and calls ahead of the McLaren Report publication are totally against internationally recognised fair legal process and may have completely undermined the integrity and therefore the credibility of this important report. 

Secondly, I have checked with the chairperson of The EOC Athletes Commission and he has not been consulted about the request in the Scott e-mail for European signatories. Yet I note from her email that three European NADOS 'amongst others' have been approached to sign. It is clear that only athletes and organisations known to support a ban of the Russian Olympic Team have been contacted.

Finally I have to question on what authority the USA and Canadian Anti-Doping agencies prepared their letter and what mandate they have to lead an international call for a ban of another nation in the Olympic family. 

Whilst I fully understand and share international concerns over the recent doping allegations, we cannot allow any individuals or groups to interfere or damage the integrity of fair and due legal process."

Hockey legend and former Sports Minister, Viacheslav Fetisov

Former Russian Minister of Sport, Slava Fetisov has said categorically that the IOC will not ban Russia without clear evidence.  His is a reassuring voice in a maelstrom of uncertainty; furthermore, readers of RRG will recognise him as related by marriage to the Rodionenkos, and I think we should feel glad that gymnastics has such a powerful ally.  He goes on to explain that the Olympics are a wholly different situation to other, smaller, events and that the IOC cannot take such drastic measures without resorting to the full processes of international law and arbitration.  If there is no evidence against athletes, then they will have nothing to fear.

Fetisov has also done his own bit of lobbying, criticising Sports Minister Mutko's management of relations with WADA, including his failure to support Fetisov's proposed WADA Presidency bid in 2008.  He also points the finger at flawed athlete preparation and medical support in the Russian sports system.  You can watch Mr Fetisov's athlete testimonial on the Youtube channel for WADA.

Most personally for all of us, Natalia Kalugina has visited Round Lake and describes the difficult, potentially sad position that the gymnasts find themselves in.  In a sometimes very emotional article,
she explains how difficult it is for the gymnasts to motivate themselves in such a doubtful scenario.  During a day's model training for the Games, international judge and former Olympian Liubov Burda-Andrianova said,

'I do not know how WADA can consider Aliya Mustafina or Seda Tutkhalyan to be guilty!  I know how much these girls are doing, preparing for the Olympic Games, I know how they work, but I do not know how they are guilty ...'

Tomorrow, there will be model training and final selection of the Russian team will take place.  Elsewhere, the findings of the McLaren Report will be published, and their implications chewed over internationally by bureaucrats, politicians and the media.  On the 20th of July the names of those gymnasts chosen to represent Russia will be made public at a special reception held by the ROC, and on the 24th July the teams will travel to Rio.

Kalugina says that the coaches are in a gloomy state of mind; they asked her not to speak of the potential for a ban, because otherwise, how will they motivate the team?  In whispering voices, though, the girls approached Natalia, asking 'is it true?'.  She had to reply 'yes'.  So the girls are participating in model training, knowing that it's nothing like the real competition, and that now the real competition may not take place.

It won't be the first time that teams have competed under the strain of political pressure, however, says Kalugina.  Liubov Burda-Andrianova was a member of the 1968 Olympic team, at a Games that took place at a hugely controversial time, with political fallout from the Soviet Union's annexation of Czechoslovakia, and Czech champion Vera Caslavaska beating Zinaida Voronina and Natalia Kuchinskaya to gold in the all around.  Despite all the brouhaha, the team (including Larissa Petrik, Olga Karaseva and Liudmilla Tourischeva) still managed to finish in first position.

'For some reason, I feel that this team will also stand proud.  They will do so, even if they have to miss the Rio Olympics', says Kalugina.

I understand why Natalia is writing this article; it's important that we support the teams at this difficult time.  Even though it seems unlikely that the IOC will ban Russia at this late stage, it can't be easy for Russian athletes to know what is going on and still to continue as normal.  Let's all support our team at this time; we know that they are clean and that as none of the gymnasts has ever tested positive, any sanctions would be extremely unfair.  Please all think positive thoughts and do what you can to support them.  

Note - I am assuming that you have read my post earlier today - you will need to, to understand the background - http://rewritingrussiangymnastics.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/our-gymnasts-will-stand-proud-even-if.html

BREAKING NEWS - ROC President Alexander Zhukov has written in a letter to WADA head Craig Reedy that he is 'extremely disappointed' that USADA and CCES (the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport) has put the IOC under such pressure to take such a decision.