Oleg Verniaiev talked to Suspilne Sport about fighting his doping ban and the ongoing conflict on the Ukrainian national team.
Verniaiev received a four-year doping ban due to testing positive for meldonium in the fall of 2020. He said that the main goal of his appeal now is to shorten the time of the ban. Four years is currently the standard ban for the first-time doping offence. Had he accepted the ban outright and admitted his fault, the punishment would have been shortened to two years instead of four.
He told Suspilne Sport:
“I’m not revealing anything for now. We’re figuring it out, everything is murky. There are many questions without answers. We’ll continue figuring it out and we’ll see. For now, there is a lot I can’t talk about. We’re working and waiting to see how things will turn out. In any case, I understand that it’s not very likely to reverse the disqualification decision. But if they could at least shorten the punishment by a year, it would be great, I’d come back already in November [of 2023].”
He also mentioned that there is an ongoing conflict between gymnasts on the national team that’s making him consider switching citizenships. In the past, Verniaiev talked of offers to represent other countries but insisted it was important for him to stay in Ukraine. Verniaiev said:
“Am I ready to represent Ukraine at the 2024 Olympics? If [the period of my disqualification] will be shortened. Well, at the same time, there is a conflict on the national team. If I’ll be back in the sport, then, let’s say, there won’t be any sweet talk, there will be an ultimatum – either I get a carte blanche and give it my all in training, I get all the conditions I need and all the people who are interfering with me are removed, or let me go and I’ll go where it will be comfortable for me to work. Where? I haven’t thought about it yet because I haven’t come back yet. I’m just saying – either you need me and then give me all the conditions, or you don’t need me, then let me go.”
“The problem is in the people in our gym. The ones that, let’s say, created problems for themselves and now they’re yelling that someone insulted them, bothered them, or that the junior team and young kids are bothering them. But it’s ridiculous when 30-year-old men say that a female coach or 17-year-old juniors are bothering them and interfering with their Olympic Games training.”
He reiterated that he would rather stay in Ukraine, if possible:
“I want to do gymnastics and compete. And I want to do it at home. And I expect that they will take the right side. Our youngsters don’t bother me, I only support them. And if they bother someone, then those people are either afraid of competition or I don’t know what. I’m a professional gymnast, my time is running out. There’s only one quad left, when I know I can medal. Why would I go somewhere if I can compete here. But if I’m not needed here, then I’ll go where I will be needed.”
Shortly after the Tokyo Olympics, Igor Radivilov also alluded to conflicts on the team in his Instagram post.
“The Olympic Games are the most important competitions for any athletes. I was at my peak but made a regrettable mistake. There were many issues during the preparation [for the Games]. The atmosphere inside [the national team] is horrible!!! I felt constant pressure. My coach and I could not focus on the preparation. Athletes shouldn’t prepare for the main competition of the quad in this way. At the same time, I learned a good lesson from this!!! I want to say it LOUDLY!!! I’M HERE!!! I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE!!! I’m continuing my Journey!!! And I’ll finish it!!! Thanks to my family, coach, and friends, to everyone who lives with me through highs and lows, to those who help me to not give up and keep going forward.”
