Russian gymnasts might withdraw from Stuttgart and Birmingham World Cups, according to Valentina Rodionenko. Earlier, Russia opted to withdraw from World Cups in Milwaukee and Tokyo citing coronavirus fears first (and difficult travel and acclimation later).
If the fear was actually coronavirus and a possibility to be quarantined, it was only logical for Russia to withdraw from the European events as well, especially since travelers arriving in Russia from Germany will now have to undergo a 14-day quarantine. Earlier, Rodionenko said that Russia would send Nikita Nagornyy and Artur Dalaloyan to Stuttgart and Birmingham – originally, Nagornyy and Dalaloyan were supposed to compete in Milwaukee and Tokyo.
Valentina Rodionenko told TASS that for now, there’s no official withdrawal, but the federation considers withdrawing from both Stuttgart and Birmingham if the situation worsens. However, they still plan on attending Doha and Baku World Cups:
“If there will be any issues, we, of course, won’t send them to either Birmingham or Stuttgart. Quarantine is a dangerous thing but we’ll see how it goes. We will have a test now, we’re going to the two closest World Cups [in Baku and Doha], we’ll see how it goes, but you understand that for us, fighting for nominative spots on individual events is not as important as in the all-around. Every day, we’re waiting for news, we’re under pressure. The gymnasts are preparing, they need another competition, of course, but what can we do.”
“If we’ll have to miss Birmingham and Stuttgart, we can only fight for spots in the all-around at the European Championships. But the thing is that while the men’s competition is in Baku, where the situation is more or less calm, the women’s is in Paris, where everything is tense already. The gymnasts are fighting for a spot for someone else, they made it already as a part of the team.”
Baku World Cup is a week before Stuttgart WC, so it might allow some time to decide whether travel is necessary. However, that would mean canceling participation at the very last moment and not allowing any other countries to replace Russia at the event. Doha World Cup is the same weekend as Stuttgart WC.
Since Russian gymnasts are missing two of the four World Cups already, they have effectively withdrawn from competing for non-nominative spots through the all-around World Cups. Vladislav Poliashov can potentially win a nominative spot through apparatus World Cups and there is a chance for Russia to win a non-nominative spot at Euros, although their strongest all-arounders are all ineligible and it will likely come down to Ivan Stretovich or Nikita Ignatyev to try placing high in the all-around.
Russian women are in a much weaker position when it comes to additional spots. None of them are likely to win a spot through apparatus World Cups and while they definitely have strong gymnasts eligible to win a non-nominative spot at Euros, there are fears that the competition might not happen or that some countries might opt to withdraw due to the coronavirus epidemic.
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