IOC panel of three to make final decision on Russia's participation in Olympics

At 4 o'clock this morning BST, the IOC Executive Board made an announcement to the effect that three individuals appointed by them will have a final say on which Russian athletes can compete at the Rio Olympic Games.

'Participation of Russian athletes in Rio

The EB decided to delegate the final decision on the acceptance of entries of Russian athletes to a Review Panel composed of three IOC Executive Board Members: Ugur Erdener, Claudia Bokel and Juan Antonio Samaranch.  The Review Panel is due to make a final decision in the coming days.'

RRG's take on this

This latest, very last minute twist in the controversy surrounding Russia's participation in the Games, suggests that the IOC has a degree of concern over the likely consistency of decisions taken by the sports' governing bodies to whom they delegated decision making only a few days ago.   It is difficult to see how an appointed panel of three individuals will have time to consider the data presented on so many different athletes, but presumably the IOC has felt it needs to confirm at least a veneer of responsibility.  The ongoing uncertainty can only be destabilising for Russia's athletes as they attempt to prepare mentally for the competition ahead.  While the scale of Russia's wrongdoing in sport is considered by many to be collosal, this is very hard on individual clean athlete.

Never before has sport been so political on the global scale.  Past political influence on sport has resulted in Olympic boycotts, protests and the exclusion of whole countries from competition.  The difference now is that the IOC is imposing sports measures that could be considered to be directly political.  While much focus rests on the question of individual athletes' participation in the Games, the wider picture is that the IOC has taken emergency measures (19th July announcement) to prevent Russia's staging of sporting events:

'The IOC will not organise or give patronage to any sports event or meeting in Russia. This includes plans for the European Games 2019 organised by the European Olympic Committees (EOC).'

'Because of the detailed references to the manipulation of samples during the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014 the IOC asks all International Olympic Winter Sports Federations to freeze their preparations for major events in Russia, such as World Championships, World Cups or other major international competitions under their responsibility, and to actively look for alternative organisers.'

Such sanctions could be considered to be large scale economic penalties against the Russian Federation.  Russia's tourism strategy is linked to its staging of sporting events and involves billions of roubles invested in new stadiums and infrastructure.  Its plans to develop its tourism industry and visitor economy rests in part on the staging of such mega events as the European Games.  The country's economic development and potential will be hit by these IOC sanctions if carried through.

Meanwhile, the Russian voice and feeling against the IOC is growing.  President Vladimir Putin (27th July) could be considered to be leveraging Russia's indignation at the IOC's actions to create stronger emotional support for his leadership amongst his country's citizens and to create a smokescreen to mask his country's wrongdoing.

Summary of President Putin's 27th July statement

Reuters also produced a 29th July report on President's Putin's ideas of the the Olympic ban as a political plot.

Athletes, politicians and members of the public have spoken out against the IOC measures and there seems to be little understanding amongst Russians as to the reasons for them.  In gymnastics, Russian head coach Valentina Rodionenko has volunteered the opinion that WADA's investigation into Russian sport, and the resulting sanctions, is a result of global political distaste for Russia's military involvement in Ukraine and Crimea.  Andrei Rodionenko has kept the argument closer to the sporting home, pointing out that WADA has too much power.  He believes that Russian has been unfairly treated:

'Russian lawyers and representatives who went to the CAS hearing weren�t really heard, no one cared what they had to say, everything was already decided before the hearing'

Russian athletics has staged its own local competition for its excluded athletes, prompting outbursts from high profile athletes such as Elena Isinbayeva:

'We ran into such injustice when they took away the Olympic Games from us, but, as I said yesterday, it will only make us stronger'

This theme of growing strength in the face of adversity is echoed from within the gymnastics community as Valentina Rodionenko and Aliya Mustafina point out collective and individual motivation that develops from such adversity.

'We are going to fight, because Russian people only get stronger facing hardship' (Valentina Rodionenko)

'I would be personally hurt if the entire Russian team were banned, and would want to see the faces of those who did it.  But I will not be broken; I would be more hurt for our young girls who have not yet participated in the Olympics.  They are like children for me.  I remember how I prepared for my first Olympics, what I felt and the hopes I had.' (Aliya Mustafina)

Russian defiance against the sporting measures is hardening as time passes, and the Russian public voice is beginning to link the Olympics with what they see as other high profile 'smears' against their state such as email hacking. 71% of Russians think that WADA's evidence of state-sponsored doping is not convincing; 55% think that the accusations are groundless and are part of a 'political hit job' against Russia; 83% disapprove of Russia's banning from the Games.  Commentators blame state TV, the main political fodder of the wider public, for fuelling the Russian population's misunderstandings about the doping controversy.   There is the suggestion that Cold War is more active now than it was during the time of the Soviet Union.

It also seems likely that Russia's concept of sports medicine is different to that held by many of us in the West - or is it?  No other sports system has come under such close scrutiny.  Skating coach Rafael Aratunyan has spoken of a different culture of drug use in Russian sport.  Aliya Mustafina has said quite openly that she was 'given' meldonium from the age of ten.  The drug was legal at the time, but legality does not tell the whole story of the ethical and sporting assumptions involved in this action.

A valid criticism of the way that WADA and the IOC have handled Russia's affairs is their sole focus on Russia to the exclusion of other countries.  Russian state interference in sport is characterised as undesirable, but then all governments use sport to an extent in their PR, tourism and social policy.  Orchestrating widespread cheating is taking things too far, but without full and equal investigation, who can say what goes on elsewhere?  Given the limitations of WADA's research and methodology, the weakness of the IOC response to it, and the highly politicised, Putin-fuelled coverage given to it by the Russian media, it is hardly surprising that Russia considers the actions to be strongly biassed against them and the sanctions to be disproportionate in severity.  We too, in the West, should remember that our perceptions and understanding are influenced by our own biasses, prejudices and media and that there are always (at least) two sides to every situation.

The artistic gymnastics competition gets underway next Saturday, on the morning following the Olympics opening ceremony.  Russia's artistic gymnastics team will therefore be amongst the first to be vetted by the IOC's panel of three.  Hopefully, if the team are not logging into their social media or watching the TV they will be unaware of this final, last minute hurdle imposed by the IOC.  On the face of it, the IOC should merely be rubber stamping the existing cleared athletes, but it remains to be seen how they will see the case of Natalia Kapitonova, Russia's 16 year old reserve who has little in the way of a competitive record (Russian champion on uneven bars and two World Cup competitions, but was she tested?).  If things go the wrong way, as Aliya Mustafina said, I wouldn't like to be the person who tells this innocent young girl that she has been sanctioned for the wrongdoings of others.  Russia would be sure to use her case as an example of the gross injustice of the blanket bans imposed by the IOC and we could see her face plastered all over the newspapers.  Many gymnastics commentators have questioned the position of Nikolai Kuksenkov, Russia's MAG team captain who tested positive for traces of meldonium earlier this year, but following investigations WADA cleared him of any suspicion.  RRG therefore considers that Kuksenkov's case is clearcut and that he will be competing in Rio.

So when Kuksenkov leads the Russian team out into the arena he will be amongst the first Russian athletes to be seen at the Games.  Both MAG and WAG teams will be under intense scrutiny like never before.  Whether this pressure does fire the teams to produce the best performances of which they are capable will not be seen until next week.  But it's certain that, once again, gymnastics will headline at the Olympics and Russia will be a huge part of the narrative, for better or for worse.  As they are all clean athletes, I would like to wish them the very best of luck.

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'WADA has too much power' - video interview with Andrei Rodionenko - translation

Interview with Andrei Rodionenko
Translation by Liubov Baladzhaeva

The interview was recorded after CAS decision, but before IOC decision, when the team was still in Russia.

Rodionenko is not happy with how much power WADA currently has and he thinks that it should be reformed and limited in its power over athletes.

He thinks that the current doping scandal is a misunderstanding. There were some doping issues with Russia, but the reaction of the international sport community to these issues was exaggerated. Russia is not the only country that had issues with doping, there were athletes caught in USA, Kenya and many other countries. He thinks only the athletes who were caught doping should be punished, he opposes a blanket ban. Russian athletes were denied the presumption of innocence and that is not OK.

He says that the Russian lawyers and representatives who went to the CAS hearing weren�t really heard, no one cared what they had to say, everything was already decided before the hearing.

The doping scandal didn�t really affect the mood of the gymnastics team, because they aren�t involved and they didn�t really have any doping issues (he doesn�t talk about Kuksenkov).

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Russian team departs for Rio - video

 

Television channel Russia 1 covered the departure of the Russian team from Sheremetyevo Airport, Moscow, yesterday.  The Russians are now safely arrived in Rio, [the pictures are of their arrival, from the Asahi TV channel website] and installed in the Olympic village - even if conditions aren't as good as they might be.  Valentina Rodionenko has had a few words to say about that, and I'll be covering them later on but in the meantime enjoy this video - and there is a brief summary of the main points in English below. 

Even though they didn't know whether or not they will be allowed to compete, the Russian athletes have continued training for the Olympics.  The first representatives of the national team are on their way to Brazil.  The sport is gymnastics, and they took off from Sheremetyevo this morning. 

There is a fighting spirit, and a will to win.  Behind the scenes, they are working to their limits, overcoming injuries - and two months ago they showed they are the best in Europe.  Now they are flying to Rio, to have a say in whether they can be considered to be amongst the best in the World.

"We are in a fighting mood," - says Daria Spiridonova.

The main team is made up of ten people - five boys, five girls.  Then there are four travelling reserves.  To earn a place on the team took blood and sweat.  At the last minute silver medallist at the London Olympic Games, Ksenia Afanasyeva, had to retire with an ankle injury.  She was one of the best in the world on the floor exercise.  Maria Paseka, world champion on the vault, had to take a break from training with injury, but managed to confirm her title as Queen of the apparatus three weeks ago at the Russian Championships.  There, in the all around, the confident 15 year old Angelina Melnikova won - the Olympic Games will be just the fourth senior competition of her career.  

"There is a fighting spirit and I very much want to compete.  The most difficult thing is to manage the nerves and excitement. Everything is going well!", said Angelina Melnikova.

Aliya Mustafina, captain of the women's team and winner at the last Olympic Games of a gold medal on the bars, had to take a long break from the all around with a knee injury.  Doctors would not allow her to compete on vault.  In order to recover, she has had to show complete commitment - in the past few months, you could almost say that she was living in the gym.

"Now everything is all right, I have recovered. All we have to do now is to go to practice and get used to the apparatus"- says Aliya Mustafina.

The male half of the team has shown consistently good results, according to the coach, and is now on top form.  Nikolai Kuksenkov, team captain, looks focused and confident. At the Russian Championships, he confirmed his position as the best gymnast.  At one time, he was almost barred from participating in the games due to a positive doping test for meldonium.   But then the news came at the last minute, the case against him has been dismissed.

"I've been training with the team and I think everything is going well, so I hope for the best results. You shouldn't think about medals and the marks as being the main thing - you should just do your job, that's all, and leave the rest to the judges to decide ", - said Nikolia Kuksenkov.

The gymnastics competition, where 14 medals will be awarded, will be held from 6 to 16 August. The head coach of our team, Andrei Rodionenko, has every confidence in the team.  He jokes that the most difficult thing is the long flight.

"All being well, we'll catch a transfer flight from Amsterdam and then it will be another twelve hours before our arrival in Rio.   The gymnasts just need to do what they can do," said Andrei.

The team's arrival has been planned to give them time to rest and get back into shape and used to the new apparatus.  Russia's fencing teamwill fly out a few hours later.  It's still not known whether the athletes will suffer the same fate as the athletics team.  Later today, the IOC will announce its decision and then we will know whether Russian athletes will be able to compete for Olympic medals. 

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'Together with the team' - Russia's MAG prepare for Rio

Russia's leading male all around gymnast, David Belyavski, with head coach Andrei Rodionenko

As the first big competition of the year approaches for Russia's male gymnasts - the national championships in Penza, which begin in just three days' time - Irina Stepantseva of MK.ru has focussed on the team's preparation, with a visit to Round Lake.  There she interviewed many of the gymnasts, and head coach Andrei Rodionenko.  You can view the full piece in Russian here.  

The context : As I have said before, Russian sport has been hit hard by all the doping bans, particularly in track and field athletics.  RUSADA, the national anti-doping agency, has been accused of falsifying documentation.  Tennis has taken a hit, with Maria Sharapova testing positive for the controversial drug Meledonium, and now swimming appears to be being targeted.  I think we can probably expect that all Russian sport will be under the microscope for months to come.  It's not as if Russians are the only athletes ever to have tested positive, but it might look as though there is an institutionalised, state-endorsed culture of cheating.  

So Russia is looking for clean sports to step up and shine at the Rio Olympics.  This article is part of a series entitled 'Together with the team' that looks to raise the profile and morale of Russian sports.  

Head WAG coach Valentina Rodionenko has already gone on record to say that Russian gymnasts do not have a doping problem, and so artistic gymnastics appears to be one sport that the Government will be looking to to fill the gold medal gap in Rio.  Not much pressure, then!

So it is not surprising that a fair chunk of Irina's article focusses on the rigourous doping tests that the gymnasts are regularly subjected to, and I think it's a good thing to emphasise that this process does take place.  Gymnastics is a skill sport and there aren't many drugs that can give a performance benefit without affecting balance and so on.  Internationally, over past years there are around ten doping cases listed for international gymnastics, compared to hundreds in the sport of athletics, and scores in swimming and tennis.  Regardless of the high profile 'seven' who tested positive for meledonium in Baku 2015, when the drug was still legal, gymnastics is generally a very clean sport - and that isn't just about Russia.

Nikolai Kuksenkov

The sportsmen can't allow themselves to be distracted by the controversy though, and senior team member Nikolai Kuksenkov asserts that it's the job of team members to train, and to ignore the politics that accompanies big-time sport.  He became acquainted with this in London 2012, he says (Nikolai was a member of the Ukraine team who were controversially awarded a team medal, then denied it after an appeal by the Japanese team).  Indeed, the whole team seems to be working assiduously - Stepantseva makes the point that the training hall is quiet, but a hive of activity - no one is still at any time.  Coaches Andrei Rodionenko and Valery Alfosov observe the training silently.

'Kolya' makes the point that the five top teams - Russia, Britain, America, China and Japan - are all working pretty much equally, with only Japan with a slight advantage.  He goes on to say that they can't pay attention to criticisms made by 'armchair' specialists - they must simply work hard and keep their nerve.

Denis Ablyazin with masseur Andrei Blyushke, and coach Sergei Starkin

Denis Ablyazin talks about team relations - living and working in such close proximity, don't the gymnasts sometimes get on each other's nerves?  He explains how they all want to win and they are all just working to perform their best.  Yes, sometimes people are careless or do annoying things - like, for example, leaving plastic cups hanging around in the bathroom - for this they 'get it in the neck' from their team mates!  But, by and large, the team gets on.  They all want the same things and they all have a similar discipline, to work quietly and not make a fuss.  His coach, Sergei Starkin, repeats the same theme - it's just not acceptable, he says, for gymnasts to vent anger in the gym - if this happens, it's time for the coach to have a word, and advise his gymnast about how to behave better.

Emin Garibov, who is still the team captain, is back in training and says that the wider background of crisis in Russian sport is motivating for the team.  He is just happy to be back in training after all of his injury problems.  It is very difficult for him to train as he still has pain in his shoulders, and is sore all over his body, but the team spirit keeps him working.

At 6 am the previous morning, he had been awoken by a knock on the door - doping control for David Belyavski, who had undergone testing only the previous day at the Glasgow World Cup.  It takes a lot of time, and since the recent controversies the process seems to have become more strict.

Andrei Rodionenko speaks of the gymnasts' performance at Glasgow, in particular Denis Ablyazin, who was disappointed to miss out on apparatus medals.  He explains that it's 'not a reproach' to speak of this - Denis's performance has been analysed, and he will learn from it.  The level of this gymnast's routines is ultra-high - there are only two or three other gymnasts who can perform at this level - and perhaps he wasn't ready psychologically to compete to the peak of his abilities.  He is a highly responsible, well motivated and ambitious gymnast.

The competitions scheduled ahead are all stages of preparation for the Olympics - with Rio the final goal, where all the learning and training will, hopefully, come together.  The team has been working together for a year now and there is a hard-working, goal-oriented atmosphere.


Photographs courtesy of Elena Mikhailova/RGF

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Ministry of Sport publishes Russia squad lists for 2016

Valentina Rodionenko has confirmed that Mustafina is back in training.  Tass

This year the Ministry of Sport has published the full lists of gymnasts training with the national team - youth, junior, senior reserve and senior.  You can find the full lists, including the coaches, in Russian language here, and there is a transcription of the gymnasts' names in English at JAS's blog, Videos of Russian Gymnasts.

As usual, you will find that there is a little delay before the lists catch up with the reality.  For example, Maria Bondareva's name still appears on the listing for the senior reserve team, but sadly, she announced her retirement for medical reasons some months ago.  The senior lists otherwise include all those in training for the Olympics.  You can read what I think of the early announcements of the Olympic teams here.  The full Olympic teams will include only five gymnasts, so competition for places will be fierce and, no doubt, health will play a part in the selections.  New names this year include, as expected, Natalia Kapitanova, Angelina Melnikova, Daria Skrypnik and Ekaterina Sokova.  Quite a bumper year for new talent on the women's team.  To my eye, the men have stayed the same as last year, but I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

One point is that the women's coaching team has been beefed up a little bit on the acrobatics side.  Vasily Ivanov, who used to be the coach in charge of both vaulting and acrobatics for the senior women, has now moved to look after acrobatics on the junior team.  Replacing him on the senior team we now have Artem Voinov (vault) and Sergei Zelikson (acrobatics).  Voinov has been on the coaching team since at least last year, but this is the first time that his specialism has been published.  He is a young coach (1987 born) so presumably has been developing the role.  Zelikson, though, is a relatively new addition, even if he is a familiar face.  You may remember him as personal coach of 2012 Olympian, Anastasia Grishina.  His departure from the senior scene took place around the end of 2012, in what appeared to be rather hurried circumstances.  He and former national women's coach Alexander Alexandrov didn't really seem to hit it off, so his rehabilitation as a national team member is intriguing.  I'm sure that Ivanov was a popular coach amongst the girls, so I hope that this change will be an improvement both for juniors and seniors.

As usual, the personal coaches of the top gymnasts are also acknowledged as national coaching team members.  Viktoria Komova has Gennady Elfimov, and Ksenia Afanasyeva has Marina Nazarova.  Nazarova is now acknowledged as a beam specialist, reinforcing Marina Bulashenko's efforts as beam choreographer.  Sergei Starkin, who looks after Denis Ablyazin and Aliya Mustafina, is listed as a men's all around coach.

There is a bit of a flurry of publicity around about gymnastics at present.  Valentina Rodionenko has announced that Aliya Mustafina is properly back in training from the 6th January and will compete at the Russian Championships.  Sergei Starkin has also been conducting his own personal press campaign on behalf of his gymnast, Denis Ablyazin, and has explained that selections for the Olympics will be in three stages - National Championships, European Championships and the Russia Cup.  Denis can't be complacent about his routines, and they are preparing a new programme for the Olympics to keep up with the rapidly developing competition.  (Thanks to Gemma Fry for translating the Starkin interview).

Two Presidents together.  RGF

The VTB RGF corporate calendar is now out and conveniently the year has twelve months, so we are treated to pictures of all the members of last year's World Championships team.  I only wish that the RGF would send me one.  The latest edition of Gymnastika is also now available, including features on Rusudan Sikharulidze and GB coach Andrei Popov and all sorts of other articles.  You can even learn to braid your hair like Ksenia Afansyeva.  And there is a wonderful picture of RGF President Vasily Titov with President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.

I wonder if anyone feels strong enough to do some translations?  Do drop me a line if so.  I am fairly easily contactable via messenger on the RRG Facebook page.

Senior MAG : Ablyazin, Balandin, Belyavski, Garibov, Ignatyev, Kazachkov, Kudashov, Kuksenkov, Lankin, Nagorny, Petrov, Polyashov, Starikov, Stretovich

Senior WAG : Afanasyeva, Dmitrieva, Kapitanova, Komova, Melnikova, Mustafina, Paseka, Skrypnik, Sokova, Sosnitskaya, Spiridonova, Tutkhalyan, Kharenkova, Shelgunova.

Good luck to all the gymnasts and coaches!  We all hope you have a fantastic and very memorable Olympic year.

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Mustafina riposte - I will decide if I compete on the basis of my health, says the Champion

As quickly as my posts have been published, new stories have emerged.  In my last post - you will need to read it in order to get the full picture - I said we would need to read Aliya's words, and here they are, thanks to RSport and some very vigilant readers of this blog who tipped me off!  The decision to include Aliya on the team is not as definitive as might have been taken from Valentina and Andrei's words, but then we always have the subtleties of translation to deal with.

"I do not know for sure, (my performance in the World Championships) is questionable. When I am ready, it can be a statement, but for now it's not possible. I will be looking at my health closer to departure," - said Mustafina by telephone.  She also noted that saying anything concrete about her health is difficult. "While it is difficult to say anything about the state of my health, one does need to start training. We will work in the camp at Round Lake."

In turn, the head coach of Russia Andrei Rodionenko confirmed that 'no one had refused' the possibility of Mustafina being included in the squad for the World Championships.

Yet more uncertainty - it is understandable if Aliya wants to take her time in deciding, and I am sure that we all support her in that.  Interesting that Aliya is now clearly an independent voice on the Russian team - she has earned this autonomy from the mature and professional way she has handled these difficult questions, and indeed her entire career, and we all send her our very best thoughts.

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National team coaches, Russian Federation 2013

Yuri Korolev (right), has joined the Russian national coaching team.  He is seen here congratulating his gymnast, 2012 Olympian Dmitri Barkalov.

The RGF has now updated its list of national team coaches.  The senior management team includes Andrei Rodionenko and his wife Valentina Rodionenko as Head Coach and Senior Coach of the men's and women's teams respectively, with Evgeny Grebenkin installed as Senior Coach of the women's team.  (Grebenkin has stepped down from his personal coaching responsibilities for national reserve team member Ekaterina Baturina.) Nikolai Yepishin has taken up a position as Senior Coach of boys and girls.   Valery Alfosov, Nikolai Krukov and Olga Bulgakova remain in their existing positions as Senior Coaches of the men's, junior men's and junior women's teams respectively.

Alexander Alexandrov, personal coach to Aliya Mustafina, is confirmed in this position on the national coaching team, and Gennady Elfimov, coach to Viktoria Komova, is similarly appointed, so the coaches to the top two gymnasts on the WAG team are now, it seems, paid by the RGF/Ministry of Sport as full time employees.  This undoubtedly emphasises the importance of Mustafina and Komova to the Russians' preparation for the coming Olympic Games in 2016.

Anton Stolyar has been newly appointed as a women's senior coach, returning to Russia from Italy where he has been coaching members of the Italian team including Erika Fasana and Elise Meneghini.

Returning to the senior WAG team is beam coach Marina Bulashenko, who has many years of experience of international competition, having worked with such gymnasts as 1992 Olympic beam champion Tatiana Lyssenko and 1996 World beam champion Dina Kochetkova.  Bulashenko replaces Larissa Ushakova, who contributed to some of the best beam work of the last Olympiad, so she has a hard act to follow.

There were rumours after the Olympics of a bid to recruit a much needed vault specialist for the WAG team.  It is unclear from this simple list whether any changes have been made on this vital piece of apparatus which has become a relative weakness since Oleg Ostapenko left.

Moving from the Vladimir School of Gymnastics, 1981 and 1985 World Champion Yuri Korolev, and Sergei Andrianov (son of the legendary Nikolai Andrianov and Liubov Burda) join the national coaching team, in charge of the technical preparation of the junior gymnasts.

Elsewhere, it has been confirmed that Viktor Razumovsky is now personal coach to senior WAG Anastasia Grishina. 

Andrei Rodionenko                        Head coach, men and women
Valentina Rodionenko                    Senior coach, men and women
Valery Alfosov                               Senior coach, men
Evgeny Grebenkin                          Senior coach, women
Nikolai Krukov                              Senior coach, junior men
Olga Bulgakova                              Senior coach, junior women
Nikolai Yepishin                             Senior coach, boys and girls

Gennady Elfimov                            Coach, women
Alexander Alexandrov                    Coach, women
Anton Stolyar                                 Coach, women

Vasily Ivanov                                  Coach-acrobat, women

Marina Bulashenko                         Choreographer, women
Olga Burova                                   Choreographer, women

Vitaly Olgychev                              Coach-masseur, women
Vladimir Timonkin                          Coach-doctor, women

Nikolai Suchilin                              Coach, technical preparation, men and women
Sergei Ryubakov                            Coach-engineer, men and women
Dmitri Skakodub                            Administrator of the training process, men, women
Andrei Belikov                               Coach-operator, men, women
Alexei Yushin                                  Coach, men, women


Andrei Dukhno                               Coach-acrobat, men
Vladimir Gaverdovsky                    Coach, men
Alexei Blyushka                              Coach-masseur, men
Konstantin Lyskov                          Coach-doctor, men

Ludmila Mamontova                       Choreographer, men, juniors

Sergei Andrianov                           Coach, technical preparation, juniors
Yuri Korolev                                 Coach, technical preparation, juniors

Yuri Barinov                                  Coach-acrobat, juniors
Artem Voinov                                Coach, technical preparation, juniors
Dmitri Gusev                                  Coach-acrobat, juniors

Larissa Efremova                            Choreographer, juniors

Dmitri Kurov                                  Administrator of the training process, junior teams
Yuri Golubev                                  Coach-masseur, juniors
Alexandra Popova                          Coach-masseur, juniors
Sergei Gulevsky                              Coach-doctor, juniors

Grigory Marsov                               Coach-doctor, juniors

Igor Kozenkov                                Coach, technical preparation, boys and girls

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