“It’s easier to say ‘You don’t have the right’ than something like that.” The Russian “water” world on the criteria of World Aquatics

The Paris Olympics without Russian synchronized swimmers

Each federation has its own interpretation of the IOC recommendation on banning the participation of Russians in team events. World Aquatics in Synchronized Swimming has decided to recognize not only group, but also duets as team events. But it is these sports that are included in the program of the Olympic Games, which means that the criteria automatically deprive the Russians of the possibility of performing in Paris in this sport.

“Unless the IOC issues separate recommendations for the Olympics, but that hope is very fragile… The IOC will most likely stick to its decision on the team disciplines,” said Olga Brusnikina, President of the Russian Federation synchronized swimming.

What does the head coach of the Russian national synchronized swimming team, Tatiana Pokrovskaya, say?

– We have been punished for winning six Olympics for over 20 years. For this, we were simply cut off from all competition. It’s chaos! But we will continue to work, we will take part in competitions – in the Russian Championship, the BRICS Games, the Friendship Games, there will also be match meetings. We will still raise our level. We have a fighting spirit, we train.

The statement will be

Russians will have to sign a declaration of admission until its contents are made public.

Svetlana Romashina, seven-time Olympic synchronized swimming champion: “For me, yes, signing the declaration is unacceptable. In fact, it is in a way refusing to speak on behalf of their country. We went to compete under the flag of the Olympic Committee, everyone knew which country we came from, but here, first of all, there is no symbolism, and we will have to see what the form will be. Surely they will make it yellow, so it is not clear for sure that these are Russian athletes.

“Synchronous” lost jumps

In each type of program it will be possible to declare a person. The calculation here is simple: in synchronized swimming it is a maximum of two soloists and two soloists, in diving, according to the same principle, four reps. The Russians were also deprived of the opportunity to perform in synchronized diving.

President of the Russian Diving Federation Stanislav Druzhinin: “We invite you, but maybe no one will go.” And with their principle criteria of sports selection, they remove the role of the federation and the ROC, it turns out that the athlete himself must apply and go and perform. It turns out that the only one fighting for sporting justice, for the Olympic principles, is us.

Is the media ban a defensive measure?

Three-time Olympic champion Alexandra Patskevich“It’s not even just a political moment, it’s just a violation of human rights, because you can’t even go through the mixed zone and give interviews during the competition. Unfortunately, we have already become accustomed to double standards in such decisions: here it is possible, here it is impossible, for some such conditions, for us – for others. But this story is already a violation of freedom of expression.”

And water polo had no more hope

The chances of Russian water polo to participate in the Olympics melted last year, because there it was not even a question of not being able to participate in the selection – it was impossible to qualify for the selections they themselves. Let’s leave this tautology aside to emphasize the level of desperation. But the despair of admission to Paris forced to begin early reloading.

President of the Russian Water Polo Federation Yevgeny Sharonov: “We are already preparing for the next Olympics – there is no chance of qualifying. We are currently working on the organization of friendly matches. Our teams went to China, to Turkey, we are working on the dossier with Iran. Other countries, there are club invitations, very strong, we will look at it, because it is a good experience for the players. We are constantly organizing training camps, correcting some of our shortcomings, our flaws, the players are young, there is a lot of work to be done.

There is a record, there is no result

World Aquatics records the world records of Russians, but at the same time the result of qualifications will have to be presented at a third tournament. The most viable option is to go, for example, to the championship of Kazakhstan, if accepted. At the same time, only one athlete can be registered for each distance.

At the Tokyo Games, for example, at a distance of 100 m on the backstroke, the national team won two medals – Evgeny Rylov won, silver – Kliment Kolesnikov.

Rylov is unequivocal in his position: “I believe that we should only compete if we are fully recovered in all our rights, otherwise we will remain neutral athletes until the end of our lives.”

Kolesnikov believes World Aquatics should also be unambiguous in its decision: “It’s easier to simply and clearly say, ‘No, you won’t be admitted.’ What to do like that, what they are doing now.

All criteria will be discussed by the Presidium of the All-Russian Swimming Federation, but, as World Aquatics has already reported, they are guided by the World Championships in Doha as the first start with the participation of neutral athletes, if they nevertheless decide to do so. Go over there.