Angelina Melnikova is aiming to compete on the 2024 Paris Games
Olympic gymnastics champion Angelina Melnikova has pointed to “positive developments” within the debate surrounding Russian athletes’ participation on the Paris 2024 Games, expressing hope that she and her compatriots can be cleared to compete regardless of present bans.
Melnikova starred because the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) gained gold within the girls’s workforce occasion in Tokyo final summer time, and in addition scooped a pair of bronze medals within the particular person all-around and flooring train occasions. Â Â
But the 22-year-old’s hopes of repeating that success in Paris in two years’ time are underneath risk because of the sweeping bans imposed on Russian sport due to the battle in Ukraine.
Some Olympic officers resembling former World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Craig Reedie have already recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes may miss out in Paris as they don’t seem to be cleared for qualifying occasions main up the Games.
Elsewhere, nonetheless, US Olympic official Susanne Lyons claimed final week that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was already sounding out members relating to a possible “pathway” again to competitors for Russian athletes.
Tokyo gold medalist Melnikova stated that even when Russian athletes have been compelled to compete underneath impartial standing – as they have been on the 2020 Summer Games and PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games due to WADA sanctions – it might be higher than not that includes in any respect.
“We really hope for any kind of admission to the Olympics, because this isn’t the first time we’ve performed without a flag and an anthem,” stated Melnikova, who can be her sport’s 2021 all-around world champion.
“We hope for some constructive progress. We’re ready till the tip of the yr. There are discussions, we appear to be transferring in a constructive route.
“There is hope for Paris, we are not training now for nothing,” Melnikova informed Metaratings.
Fellow Olympic champion Artur Dalaloyan – who helped Russia to gold within the males’s workforce occasion in Tokyo – described the present sanctions as “absurd,” however like Melnikova expressed hope that the state of affairs can be resolved earlier than the Paris Games.
“I’m an athlete, my job is to show my work at the highest level. With or without a flag, it doesn’t matter to me. Everyone knows perfectly well that I represent Russia,” stated the 26-year-old.
“Some folks assume it is not essential to go [to the Olympics] with no flag, however I feel it’s a necessity to go. I’ll exit and defend the dignity of the nation, battle for victories.
“We’re working tirelessly. This entire state of affairs is absurd, however we’ve hope that we’ll go to the Olympics in Paris.Â
“We’re striving only for this. Of course, this situation won’t subside quickly, stories like this have never passed quickly,” added the three-time world champion.
After the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) imposed a blanket ban on Russian athletes in March, Russian officers have moved to arrange various home occasions to compensate – together with the revival of the Soviet-era ‘Spartakiad’ video games.
Dalaloyan praised officers for his or her efforts, saying: “I want to note the tremendous work of our Ministry of Sports, the Russian Gymnastics Federation – they hold tournaments, they brought back the Spartakiad. Russian athletes are motivated, despite the times that we’re living at the moment.”