Nagorny commented on the refusal of Russian gymnasts to participate in FIG tournaments

Olympic gymnastics champion Nikita Nagorny commented to Izvestia on April 5 on the refusal of Russian athletes to participate under the auspices of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).

According to Nagorny, initially, it was not easy for athletes to apply for neutral status. He noted that previously the team categorically did not accept the possibility of performing without national symbols, but made this decision for the sake of young athletes who need international experience.

"Unfortunately, we have refusals, and these are refusals that we cannot understand. If this is not nonsense, then I do not know what to call it, when an athlete is suspended for participating in the fifth anti—doping test, where the Rome 5 is group V, which means that he cannot receive neutral status. Of course, this is pure nonsense," Nagorny said.

He pointed to examples of other federations, such as swimming or judo, where Russian athletes have already received neutral status. According to him, there is pressure and discrimination in gymnastics.

"Athletes can't even afford to go to competitions, considering that their colleagues on the shop floor, with whom they train every day and with whom they live their lives within the framework of the sports base, it's unclear to him how he can go to compete, and a man because he congratulated everyone on the 9th May, can't go to compete," the Olympic champion clarified.

According to him, Russian athletes are taking a "big step forward" by agreeing to apply for neutral status.

"Even in these conditions, they still find an opportunity to somehow offend us somewhere and publicly show that he posted congratulations on May 9th. It's not even human, and I don't want to talk about any kind of justice. This is wrong," concluded Nagorny.

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Athletes from the Russian Federation face difficulties receiving refusals

Earlier in the day, it was reported that the Russian gymnasts who received neutral status refused to perform at international tournaments. The reason for the decision was the numerous unjustified and biased refusals by the FIG special committee to allow Russian gymnastics representatives to compete.