“A good result - as much gold as possible”: the head of the Russian Boxing Federation and the national team coach - on the selection for the World Cup

The coaching staff of the Russian boxing team has unveiled two lists of athletes who will compete for the right to speak at the World Cup in Yekaterinburg. The main composition included Vasily Egorov (up to 52 kg), Albert Batyrgaziev (up to 57 kg), Ilya Popov (up to 63 kg), Andrei Zamkova (up to 69 kg), Gleb Bakshi (up to 75 kg), Muslim Gadzhimagomedov (up to 91 kg ) and Maxim Babanin (above 91 kg). General Secretary of the Boxing Federation of Russia Umar Kremlev explained this decision, and also told how it was made.

- At the training camp in Kislovodsk, the coaching staff of the national team unveiled two teams - the main and the reserve. When will the final decision be made?

- We will look at the results of the final gathering in Zlatoust, because even the first numbers should not relax. This is not an ordinary tournament, this is the home world championship. I would like to wish all the guys good luck - we are going to fight, and we only need a victory. Everyone will have to give all the best, despite fatigue, and demonstrate a beautiful, clean box. And God forbid, they are disgraced - they will go right away from Yekaterinburg to Yakutia, to extract minerals, and Vasya (boxer Vasily Egorov. - RT ) will be escorted. (Laughs) . It all depends on you.

- The team consists of fairly young athletes. Will they cope with the responsibility assigned to them?

- Young, but experienced - almost all the guys have already managed to declare themselves at international competitions.

- Have you been directly involved in the issue of choosing the composition?

- The discussion was collective, each expressed his own point of view, and not always my opinion coincided with the point of view of the coaching council. But it was the mentor Viktor Fakhrutdinov and the chairman of the coaching council Nikolay Khromov who made the final choice. I am not a coach, and, of course, I fully trust and rely on their decision. They have vast experience, including in winning the highest honors of the wards.

- Fakhrutdinov accepted the team literally on the eve of the World Cup. Already you can judge what kind of relationship has developed between the coach and the wards?

- In 2018, Viktor Borisovich with his guys from the junior team showed a unique result. They won seven gold medals at the European Championships, six at the World Championships, and at the Olympics, with only four quotas, they took three gold and one silver. At the same time, Ruslan Kolesnikov performed with an injury, only this prevented him from taking another award of the highest dignity. This suggests that the choice of Fakhrutdinov is not accidental. Do not think that Edurad Kravtsov (predecessor of Fakhrutdinov. - RT ) was simply removed somewhere - this is only a small reform of the coaching council. They always make important decisions aimed at improving the team.

• Umar Kremlev - about the new coach of the Russian national boxing team

"Watched over 150 battles"

In turn, head coach Viktor Fakhrutdinov summed up the results of the first weeks of his work at the head of the national team, and also spoke about the challenges that athletes face in the home championship of the planet.

- How will the final decision be made regarding the composition of the national team for the World Cup?

- It will be approved after sparring at the last training camp. So far, no one has staked out a place in the squad. Whoever is better prepared will go. Therefore, everyone should return from vacation in good shape, healthy, and have no more than three kilograms of excess weight. You know perfectly well that half of the result is discipline, and its absence killed many talented athletes. Both in life and in the ring, you need to think with your own head and not wait for a hint from the coach.

- Are you satisfied with the training camp in Kislovodsk?

- Very satisfied. Everything was at the highest level, and the weather favored us. For more than 12 years I worked with juniors, and now I can clearly see the difference both in organization and in the mood of the guys. The whole team - and doctors, and massage therapists, and nutritionists - worked perfectly. Separately, I would like to thank the entire coaching staff and our veterans Nikolai Khromov and Alexander Zimin. They were always there, in contact with the guys. It remains to prepare and perform well. I cannot but mention Umar Kremlev, who also came and helped us with solving problems. The whole team, including personal mentors, goes to Zlatoust at the expense of the federation, which is very nice.

- Was it hard for you to decide on the formation of the team?

- Very hard. There is no month yet, as I accepted the national team, I watched more than 150 fights from all possible tournaments, I knew many guys in absentia, but it was not easy to put an end. At the same time, the announced roster, with rare exceptions, was not a surprise to me. For example, Ilya Popov just yesterday moved from juniors, but immediately won a place in the first team.

- What were you guided in the first place, forming the composition?

- I relied not only on combat work, but also on general physical training - there were a lot of crosses, classes in the gym, circular trainings. Unfortunately, there is not enough time to prepare, but we have a good team, and the final gathering in Zlatoust should put everything in its place.

- Two years ago, the Russian team achieved unsatisfactory results at the World Cup, having won only silver and bronze. What are the goals facing the team now?

- A good result is as much gold as possible. Yes, there are quantitative goals, but I would not like to name the numbers aloud. We will try to take first place in the team event. We have a worthy team, it’s a pity that I do not have much time to prepare - less than 20 days have passed since I headed the adult team.

- This championship will not be qualifying for the Olympic Games. Do you have any concerns that leading boxers might ignore him for this reason?

- No way. I already watched the line-ups, talked with colleagues. The Cuban team, for example, one of the strongest, is coming to us in full force. Although the tournament is not qualifying, there is little time left before the Olympics.

- The Boxing Federation of Ukraine stated that it will not send a delegation, but athletes can go to Yekaterinburg on their own. Many will decide on such a step?

- I think yes. Boxers are not interested in missing major international tournaments on the eve of the Olympics, because they well understand how serious preparation is ahead.

• Viktor Fakhrutdinov - on the collection of the national team in Kislovodsk before the World Cup

- How do you rate the work of the International Boxing Association (AIBA)? Is there a prejudice towards Russian athletes?

- We have never been particularly favored, and the question of the judges was acute. But I think that you need to start with yourself, with the solution of internal issues. So, in Russia there are only three judges of the highest category, and they are torn between competitions. And athletes should try to act so that no referee could have questions who won today.