new Oleg Verniaiev interview

Oleg. Oleg.

Always interesting. Always entertaining.

He’s not competing Europeans* this week, but we do have this.

Goals… Well, as you can see my cycle was not an easy one.
In 2018, I went through two surgeries. In 2019, two surgeries.
I didn’t manage to fully recover so the postponement of the Olympic Games is probably more good news than sad news for me. …
I want to return to the all-around leaders race. …
… there will not just be Dalaloyan and Nagornyy [to compete with]. I think there will be Xiao Ruoteng and Sam Mikulak. This is just from the current guys …
OC: It’s a tough question to ask, but looking from the outside in. What are your thoughts on the abuse situations that have been reported in gymnastics in the United States and Great Britain? What do you feel for athletes who spoke up about this topic and revealed what happened to them?
I find violence inadmissible. When someone yells at you that you are a fool, that you are bad and you get a cuff on the nape or beaten up – it’s wrong and I’m against it. I believe that such coaches should be kicked out or punished. …
I was incredibly lucky with my first coach – Olga Ermakova. She’s in Australia now coaching. …

Exclusive Q&A: Oleg Verniaiev on Olympic success, his Tokyo 2020 goals, Simone Biles and more

https://twitter.com/olympicchannel/status/1336405643813588992

Minnesota Gymnastics 60 Minutes

While some schools are moving mountains to get in football and basketball seasons, non-revenue generating sports are on the chopping block. …
Some colleges are testing every player and coach for the virus every day and even that hasn’t stopped outbreaks; many games have had to be canceled or rescheduled. But still, they press on.
They do it, of course, to keep the TV money coming in from football and basketball. But at the same time, dozens of universities have been eliminating smaller “secondary” sports like gymnastics and tennis and swimming. …
Mike Burns: I think every athletic director who’s dropping programs is using the COVID pandemic as an excuse …
Shane Wiskus: NCAA Gymnastics I believe is a crucial component in preparing gymnasts for, you know, not only success for their team, but success for the United States on the world and Olympic podiums. …

Some colleges axing “secondary sports” like gymnastics and tennis as pandemic continues

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

The Univ of Minnesota eliminated the men’s gymnastics program, citing a multimillion dollar hole in the athletic budget caused by the pandemic. Team member and Olympic hopeful Shane Wiskus says the dismantling of this talented team “breaks my heart.” https://t.co/dhC8KNBr34 pic.twitter.com/vFOyvGWxPI
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) December 7, 2020

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

“I think every athletic director who's dropping programs is using the COVID pandemic as an excuse,” says men’s gymnastics coach Mike Burns about his dropped team. There are now only 13 college men’s gymnastics programs, compared to 150+ in the 70s. https://t.co/xgYDLoKR3v pic.twitter.com/xyGAWTeMci
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) December 7, 2020

#Paris2024 🏃🏽‍♂️🤾🏻‍♀️ equality

Skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing and breaking were confirmed as additional sports proposed by the Paris 2024 Organising Committee. …
Olympic.org

Finally. An equal number of Olympic male and female competitors.

It's a first in history !

There will be as many women athletes as men athletes competing at the Olympic Games in #Paris2024 🏃🏽‍♂️🤾🏻‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/hJzLvAF7j7
— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) December 7, 2020

Men’s European Championships

Dec 9-13, Turkey

Of course the 2020 edition will always have an asterix* as the field is much smaller than usual. Many of the top nations, including Russia, are not attending due to COVID.

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

Just 4 days left to go …@turkcimfed pic.twitter.com/6WZvtcjeiE
— European Gymnastics (@UEGymnastics) December 5, 2020

Maggie Haney’s NY Times interview

If you are not a subscriber, there’s a copy on The Morning Call:

If she could travel back in time, before she was suspended from gymnastics after being accused of berating and mistreating her athletes, including an Olympic champion, Maggie Haney says she would change the way she coached. …
… “Maybe what used to be OK is not OK anymore, and maybe it shouldn’t be. I think maybe the culture has shifted.” …
Haney said the accusations against her — particularly those from Hernandez, whom she coached from age 6 — had come out of nowhere, and she vehemently denied them. …
Riley McCusker, who has a good chance of making the U.S. team for the Tokyo Games, filed a lawsuit against Haney last month. …
A gymnastics coach accused of emotional abuse speaks out: ‘I cared too much’

Aside from Maggie’s friends and some former gymnasts, most coaches I talk to feel the penalties decided by USAG were harsh but appropriate.

Spencer had the most entertaining reaction to the interview.

Read Stephanie Ventura’s response – An Open Letter to the New York Times Regarding Gymnastics, Abuse, and Sub-standard Journalism

why lock-up youth sports?

The #1 complaint I’m hearing from coaches.

There have been no COVID super spreader events in Gymnastics clubs, yet (in some areas) riskier venues are allowed to stay open.

Churches. Shopping Centres. Bars. Etc.

Schäfer sisters speak out

Pauline (2016 Olympian) and Helene Schäfer publicly spoke up about abuse they experienced during their gymnastics training.
They gave an interview to Spiegel.de alongside Sophia Steurer, Lisa Hill, Isabelle Marquardt, and Rosa-Lynn Schmitz detailing psychological and emotional abuse by the coaches.
gymnovosti

SEC to compete in conference only

The Southeastern Conference announced Monday a conference-only schedule that will feature eight meets as well as the league meet.
… based on the need for maximum flexibility in making any necessary scheduling adjustments while reacting to developments around the COVID-19 pandemic and continued advice from medical professionals. …