Most of the 2020 artistic gymnastics competitions have been canceled or postponed. Some athletes might see it as a welcome break but others want to go back to competing as soon as possible and the federations are looking for ways to host competitions during the pandemic. The majority of the Russian national team members were able to return to training in the end of May and their first big competition is supposed to be the Russian Championships in November. The competition will also serve as one of the selection criteria for the European Championships that are currently scheduled for December.
Morinari Watanabe who visited Moscow this week offered another competitive opportunity to selected gymnasts. He met with Russian sports officials, head coaches of the national team and several gymnasts – Artur Dalaloyan, Nikita Nagornyy, Ivan Stretovich, Angelina Melnikova, Lilia Akhaimova, and Vladislava Urazova.
Valentina Rodionenko said that a friendly meet is being organized in Hiroshima in November with top Japanese, Chinese and Russian athletes invited to attend:
“Today, at the Russian Ministry of Sports, a meeting between the Minister, the FIG President Morinari Watanabe and our national federation’s president Vasily Titov took place. Coaches and and top gymnasts also participated in the meeting. Watanabe offered us to participate at a friendly meet with the Japanese and Chinese teams which is planned for November in Hiroshima. Japan really wants to prove that they can host a competition during the coronavirus time. The organizers want to invite all of our strongest gymnasts including Artur Dalaloyan, Nikita Nagornyy, and Angelina Melnikova. But whether the competition will take place will depend on the epidemiological situation the world will be in during the fall.”
“We told Watanabe that we accept the invitation if the organizers agree to several conditions. One of those is giving our team an opportunity to travel to Japan by a charter flight. We care about the health of our athletes and understand that the biggest risk of contracting the coronavirus happens at airports and during regular flights. Soon, we will receive the competition information where all the details will be given.”
Rodionenko also said that while the team is preparing for the European Championships, they don’t know yet if the competition will take place as the final decision will be made in the end of September:
“We’re still waiting for UEG’s final decision regarding the European Championships. It should be made on September 30th. But everyone, including the UEG president Farid Gaibov assure us that the competition will still take place in December.”
Photo: Russian Ministry of Sports
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Why is everyone in the huddled group photo wearing a mask except the three, most likely, oldest including Watanabe and Vasily Titov? Am I missing something, or is there precautionary term where the most influential men don’t have to follow restriction protocols?