“You need to act fast”
The participation of the majority of Russian athletes in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris remains in question. While individual sports have the opportunity to compete in international competitions under a neutral flag, major tournaments are now closed to most major tournaments, according to the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Recently, the former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Craig Reedy, honorary member of the IOC, described Russian participation in the Games – 2024 as “unlikely”. And although the IOC press service refuted these words as Reedy’s personal opinion, the current situation in world sports shows that the Briton will be right.
There have been repeated talks in Russian sports circles about organizing alternative competitions, especially since such a practice already exists: for example, in 2016, when the Russian Paralympic team was not fully allowed to hold a major tournament, the Games in Rio de Janeiro, was organized for them near Moscow Novogorsk . Once again, the head of the WFHG, Irina Viner-Usmanova, spoke about the need to create alternative competitions and asked that representatives of friendly countries be involved in them.
“We have to reorganize quickly, have club competitions between friendly countries. You need to maintain relations with them, internationalize your leagues, club tournaments.
We can even make competitions an alternative to the Olympic Games. Athletes are ready. But recently, international competitions have been allowed if the first composition of a foreign team is not included.
Redoing takes a lot of effort. Federations are required to work in teams with the Ministry of Sports. He wrote letters and objections to the same Ministry of Justice, to all concerned, so that the Ministry of Sports could work in accordance with the current conditions. So that later there will be no such conversations and such interviews, ”the author said. DEA News”.
“Alternative competitions are meaningless, they do not replace the Olympics”
This idea was appreciated by Viner-Usmanova, the former ward of Yana Batyrshina, the silver medalist in rhythmic gymnastics of the 1996 Olympic Games. In his opinion, it does not make sense to hold such competitions for athletes, as they will not replace the emotions of the real Olympics.
“I think it would be pointless to have alternative competitions. Absolutely right.
There would be no alternate Olympic Games, world and European championships, and I would not be close to replacing parallel tournaments.
This can motivate them to perform, plus they say the prize money will be similar to the Olympics. But, first of all, professional athletes often do not pursue prize money, which is not an incentive for a top-notch athlete. Secondly, you win the Spartakiad, the equivalent of the European Championship – but inside you understand that this is not so and will never be so. I don’t know how much that motivates athletes – it doesn’t motivate me at all.
Of course, I admire athletes who continue to train in the current situation. You really need to love your job so much that you continue to do it in conditions of complete isolation – and seriously, not carelessly, really. In such a situation, I would probably finish the sport completely, I wouldn’t be able to cope. I don’t change nationality either. At the moment, I am inclined to believe that everything will be fine with athletes who continue to train at a high level, but they say that we are flying from Paris from all sides, ”Bayrshina told socialbites.ca.
“This is a great incentive for the younger generation”
At the same time, the famous athlete noted that alternative competitions can be beneficial for the younger generation of athletes who may have a chance to compete in the next Olympics.
“For the younger generation who don’t have plans for these Olympics, alternative competitions are a huge incentive.
I remember myself: when there is no competition, everything becomes monotonous and boring. Tournaments are encouraged, athletes have to compete – that’s what they train for.
If we talk about rhythmic gymnastics, you put on a beautiful swimsuit, do your hair, go out and – applause, spectators, fans, autographs, photographers, interviews. Of course, this is a great incentive to continue the practice. There are now more competitions than ever before. And that’s very good. But again, if I were an older athlete now, that wouldn’t encourage me. And for the younger generation, this is great, ”said Batyrshina.
“We need a different support for Spartakiad”
A different perspective is shared by the Olympic champion in speed skating, State Duma deputy Svetlana Zhurova. In his opinion, such competitions are needed, but their organization raises many questions. Zhurova also urged fans to support Spartakiad on a large scale.
“It is absolutely necessary to hold alternative competitions, the question is who will come to them. Do not flatter yourself with the illusion that there will be many countries.
At the same time, I think a completely different support is needed for Spartakiad.
Since in Soviet times there were quite serious awards, they gave apartments to many people. It was Spartakiad, not the Olympics, that gave athletes such an opportunity. And winning at Spartakiad was very valuable. Our task is to raise the competition to very serious degrees. For example, no one goes to watch the Russian championships in many sports. And currently the TV is showing images that would not have been displayed before. And we should encourage fans to support only football and hockey. We need to give weight and importance to other competitions, we need to be in solidarity.
Currently, those who change their sports citizenship are reprimanded, but then the question for fans is: Don’t you want to go with your feet to the athletes and support the athletes in the competitions? Especially in less popular sports? So no one can be blamed afterwards.
Don’t criticize those who are sitting on the couch and about to get out. The athlete performs not for himself, but for the fans.
And if the fans don’t go to the competitions, then what are the allegations against the athletes? Athletes attract the attention of fans,” he said.
“Movement is essential for sports not to die”
By contrast, Anton Golotsutskov, a two-time bronze medalist in artistic gymnastics of the 2008 Olympics, believes that such competitions should be held in order for Russian sports to remain strong and competitive. According to him, at some point the international situation will stabilize, but until then, Russian sports should remain on the rise.
“During the Cold War – Goodwill Games we already had experience. We must move in the same direction. Sooner or later the situation in the world will change, but athletes must always be in the cage, they must have a competitive interest, because an athlete always lives with emotions.
For an athlete, this is always a troubling topic: he was preparing for the Olympics and did not go. But we depend on the current situation.
It happened, it happened, you can’t change the situation. We have to come to terms with it. And in any case, you need to keep yourself in shape, train. The state can organize competitions, friendly countries can come. Many of course may be frightened, but I think they will gradually start to catch up and the situation will stabilize. The question is when. But in any case, so that the sport does not die, there must be movement, ”concluded Golotsutskov.