War and violence are taken to be the domain of men, in the main … but women suffer too.
The Russian female gymnasts are showing a few bruises. Our ‘new generation’ of Kalmykova, Vasilieva, Roschina, Andreeva and others look well trained, but the lack of opportunity for overseas competition must be a severe disappointment.
24 year old Melnikova has commented that her career has crossed some very interesting times … the doping scandal with all its uncertainty, leading to neutral competition status for the team, Covid and the postponement of competitions, if not a battle with the illness itself for some individuals; and, now, the war with Ukraine, leading to sanctions against Russian competitors. Finally, Russia’s rather pointless decision to ban themselves from competition as a kind of ‘protest’ against the neutral status they were seeking for so many of their team members.
The fact that Melnikova could carry away individual and team medals during this time is remarkable; don’t forget that she was World AA Champion in 2021, and it was well deserved.
Russia was strong enough also to take gold as a team in the 2020/21 Olympics. But, sadly, most of that team has now retired: Urazova, Vorona and Gerasimova have all left the stage. Up and coming star, Diana Kustova, withered. Listunova is constantly fighting injury.
The 2024 Olympics came and went with little for the Russians to say except for online ‘congratulations’ to those they would otherwise have celebrated with in person.
In any other Olympic season, at least a couple of these gymnasts, besides Melnikova, would be fighting for Olympic selection in 2028, against our youngsters.
Overseas migration has offered attractive opportunities to retired gymnasts in the past, but it seems difficult these days for the women to find the right placements. Aliya Mustafina has commented on this in her most recent interview (RRG, 4 April). Surely someone somewhere could find a good job to offer to this extraordinarily talented gymnast and coach?
Aliya’s friend Tatiana Nabiyeva now lives and coaches in China. She has married a Chinese man and seems very happy. Her team mate Elena Eremina has a coaching job in Saudi Arabia, alongside her boyfriend Yura. Elena has an agent, speaks very good English, and is keeping up with her English lessons, but even she couldn’t find a place in a country that has an elite programme …
Yana Vorona now works with horses in a circus. Other gymnasts - Ilyankova, Gerasimova, Paseka - have returned to their clubs to coach young gymnasts. Melnikova trains as well as running her own gym, and is now exploring politics as a career path.
I hope this war comes to an end soon so that the suffering endured by Ukraine can end and so that our Russian gymnasts can return to the international arena, and speak their minds once again.