Category: safety

Valeriy Goncharov interview

In 2004, Valeriy Goncharov became Ukraine’s second-ever male gymnast to earn Olympic gold, capturing the top spot on parallel bars in Athens. …

Just 15 when the Soviet Union crumbled, Goncharov represented Ukraine at three Olympic Games (2000-08), winning seven Olympic, World and World Cup medals in a senior career that began at the 1997 World Championships and spanned more than a decade. …

Oklahoma assistant coach Valeriy Goncharov:

One day (Rustam Sharipov) called me and said, ‘Listen, there is an open position in Oklahoma, and I think it’s a really good opportunity. It’s one of the best places I’ve worked. I’m going to text you a phone number and you should call Mark (Williams) right away.’ …

You still have a large contingent of family and friends in Ukraine, how difficult has that been this past year?

Every day it’s like half of me is here, and half of me is there, worrying about all the people I know, I care about. Nothing has really changed since the beginning, and things don’t seem to be getting better, unfortunately.

I’ve had the same routine every day for a year now. I wake up, call my friends, call my family, to know what’s going on. It is very difficult. …

Do you have any thoughts about the IOC saying it could be possible for Russian and Belarussian athletes could compete in the 2024 Olympics under a neutral flag?

You know, a recent case I just saw, Ukrainian and Russian soccer teams met by accident in Turkey, and it was a huge fight. A physical fight. Just because they saw each other in a hotel.

I think it’s difficult to imagine, in the situation we are in now, how we could compete together. How we could share the Olympic dream. I don’t know, maybe it could happen, but right now I have a lot of doubts. …

Inside Gymnastics – FROM UKRAINE WITH LOVE, PART TWO: VALERIY GONCHAROV

Rustam Sharipov interview

A member of the gold-medal-winning Unified Team in 1992, Rustam Sharipov returned in 1996 to claim Ukraine’s first men’s gymnastics gold, with a parallel bars win in Atlanta, where the Ukrainian men’s team also claimed bronze. …

Ohio State head coach Rustam Sharipov:

You became a U.S. citizen in 2008 and have lived in the United States for more than 20 years now, but you have family still living in Ukraine.

Yes, my parents are still there, my brother is still there, my nephew. I’m glad they are fine so far, but it’s hard every day …

The IOC recently said they’d consider letting athletes from Belarus and Russia compete under a neutral flag in 2024. As a Ukrainian Olympian, what are your feelings about that?

When this war first began, I sort of agreed about keeping politics and sports separate, but then I saw Russian athletes start actively supporting the war, supplying stuff for the war, and creating young military kids who are going to ‘protect’ their country…That’s when I completely changed. 

This idea that letting Russia and Belarus compete will help bring the war to an end? That’s, excuse me, B.S.  …

The other thing that really bothers me is that the Russians, their life didn’t change. They have everything they need to prepare for competitions, while Ukraine athletes…Some are dying, and most don’t have a place to practice, no coach, no gym. But the IOC says they should compete on the same field? That’s not fair. …

Inside Gymnastics – FROM UKRAINE WITH LOVE, PART ONE: RUSTAM SHARIPOV

Thanks Heath

Heath Thorpe is making a difference.

Click PLAY to hear his personal philosophy.

no decision on RUS at Europeans 2023

FIG decided to wait until 28-30 March to hear from the Executive Committee of the IOC — before making any changes to the current ban on gymnasts from Russian and Belarusian gymnasts.

That makes it even less likely that the ban will be removed in time for Europeans 11-16 April 2023 in Turkey.

gymnast T’Yonna Major murdered in mass shooting

This week Orlando Metro Gymnastics is hosting a fundraiser for the family of T’Yonna Major, the 9-year-old girl who was killed in the shooting spree in Pine Hills last week. …

‘An angel on our team’: Gymnastics coach of 9-year-old killed in Orlando shooting spree remembers her

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The rest of the world wonders why the USA cannot reduce the number of children killed by firearms.

volunteer coach let go for requiring ‘line drills’

In general, it’s a mistake to use conditioning as a punishment at workout.

But any thinking human being instantly realizes the Hantsport School administration made a mistake here.

The Hantsport School junior high boys basketball team was about to play their first playoff game of the season last week. But two hours before the game, the school administration dismissed Brandon MacInnis, the team’s volunteer head coach. …

One of his long-standing coaching philosophies is for his players to be on time for practice, he said. Some of his players were fooling around in the locker room as practice was about to start last week.

“I hold the team to be accountable for their actions and because they were a little bit late we ran some line drills,” said MacInnis. …

The players on the team were shocked to learn before the playoff game that their coach had been let go. They made the decision to stand behind their coach and did not play the game, which resulted in them losing by forfeit. …

CBC – Hantsport residents rally behind volunteer coach fired hours before playoff game

Gallardo & Fletcher to CAN WAG Team

With the 2024 Paris Olympic Games less than 18 months away and buoyed by the Olympic qualification performance from the Women’s team at the 2022 World Championships, Gymnastics Canada is pleased to announce the establishment of the technical leadership team for the national women’s artistic gymnastics (WAG) high performance program leading into the Games. 

Mr. Christian Gallardo and Ms. Kyna Fletcher will lead the overall strategic and operational planning for the program …

Christian Gallardo – National Team Lead (Technical)

  • Athlete/Coach Technical Support and Mentorship
  • Major competition technical leadership
  • In conjunction with the team, provides High Performance Program planning and leadership

Kyna Fletcher – National Team Lead (Operations)

  • Leads strategic planning and oversite for HP and NT program
  • Provides support in the development of the overall program goals and objectives
  • Works closely with the Program Manager in the development and implementation of technical and operational program plans. …

Kyna Fletcher was WAG National Team Director from 2011-2014, leading CAN to a best ever team finish at the 2012 Olympics.

Christian Gallardo coached Nia Dennis, Shania Adams, and Shilese Jones, as well as Gabby Douglas.

There was a complaint against Christian that was dismissed by the Ohio State government agency in April 2021. I’ve seen the documentation and he was found innocent of all charges.

Personally, I’m happy Canada has a clear National Team coaching structure leading up to Paris. With no need to qualify at Worlds 2023, the team can use a Paris focused training plan.

GymCan CEO Ian Moss is out

Ian Moss is out as chief executive officer of Gymnastics Canada, a move that comes amid calls for leadership change at the embattled sports organization.

The governing body said in a release that it is moving forward with “substantive changes in leadership” after months of calls for Moss’s resignation from Gymnasts for Change Canada, an advocacy group made up of hundreds of former and current gymnasts. …

Gymnastics Canada’s move comes after the Jan. 27 release of a 277-page report by McLaren Global Sport Solutions …

Gymnastics Canada said it will work with Moss on ensuring a “smooth transition” toward bringing on a new CEO.

The organization is also looking for a new chair for its board of directors after Jeff Thomson resigned earlier this month and was replaced by vice-chair (Bernard) Petoit on an interim basis. …

CBC – Gymnastics Canada parts with CEO Ian Moss after months of calls for resignation

Russian Rhythmic not eligible for Paris … IMHO

Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation President Irina Viner has been videoed directing the rehearsal of a military parade for Putin’s big speech celebrating the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Tribuna also reports that Russia’s national rhythmic gymnastics team are expected to perform in the “celebratory concert”. …

Viner was married to Uzbek-born Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov for 30 years before their divorce in May last year.

Usmanov agreed to step aside as President of the International Fencing Federation following the European Union’s decision to impose economic sanctions on him over Russia’s military assault on Ukraine.

The 69-year-old businessman has also been sanctioned by the United States and the United Kingdom. …

Inside the Games

I ASSuME this means the RUS Rhythmic team will not be eligible for Olympic qualification under the stupid compromise idea recommended by the IOC.

Irina Viner is pictured with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2015 ©Getty Images

Trinity Thomas – Black History Month

At Trinity’s Gym growing up there weren’t many Black kids.