“We need a real leader, not a talker”: Alyabyev on the work of Drachev, Khovantsev’s loyalty and the results of the national team

The conversation with Alyabyev began with the most pressing topic for the ex-biathlete: the scandalous events of the World Championships in Anterselva, in the center of which was the leader of the national team Alexander Loginov and his personal trainer Alexander Kasperovich. This story, according to the two-time Olympic champion, very well revealed one of the main problems of the Russian biathlon: there is no real management team in it.

- Why did you change your mind about the current president of the RRF?

- I knew Drachev for many years as an absolutely outstanding athlete, a true biathlon fanatic and a person who can work very hard and hard to achieve his goal. After completing his career, he didn’t delve deeply into his affairs, but it seemed to me that a person in many years at various posts had learned to do something, to manage something, so I supported his candidacy in the elections. But it turned out that all declarations remained declarations. Drachev says a lot, but does nothing. I know that many people who are in the SBR are disappointed with working with him. The farther, the more obvious that the situation is getting worse and worse.

- And do you see a way out that would allow correcting this situation?

- It seems to me that it is necessary to begin with the board of the RRF. Now the federation is a very closed society. In principle, it has always been so, but people somehow found a common language. Now inside the RBU there is the same disagreement as in the national team. I know, for example, that Drachev himself is not talking to the executive director and even tried to quietly fire him. True, only two people supported the President of the RRF in this - the rest voted against. That is, even in the board, all of whose members Drachev personally invited, there is no consent.

- Anatoly Khovantsev suitable for the role of leader?

- Khovantsev is a very good and kind person. Perhaps a good coach. But he is not able to keep discipline in a team. How incapable to go in professional coaching issues contrary to the same Drachev. He will never argue, - many veteran biathletes spoke about this even at that moment when they just appointed Khovantsev - everyone understood and understands that, as the leader of Khovantsev is very, very weak. But he supports Drachev’s initiatives in all matters, and therefore is convenient.

- The President of the RBU in Anterselva said that the senior coaches of the male and female teams for some time have no right to their own decisions ...

- Therefore, we now have a situation where the head coach does not decide anything, and the rest of the specialists, if they have their own views on the training process, simply do not dare to voice them and, moreover, defend them. Perhaps people are banally afraid that they will be kicked out, I do not know this. But it is clear that there is no mutual understanding in the coaching staff. As there is no management team.

When Dmitry Vasiliev spoke in an interview about the inappropriate behavior of Matvey Eliseev in relation to the coaches in training, in his opinion, there were a lot of indignation. But I am inclined to believe Vasilyev - Dima is a very direct and honest person, with firm views on what concerns discipline. After all, Khovantsev himself partially confirmed the same thing with respect to Eliseev - he said in one of the comments: they say, yes, this happens to this athlete.

- Give the recipe: how to bring the national team to such a state that it would not be embarrassing?

- Here you have to think, of course. A much tougher person should be at the head, otherwise the team simply will not. Such at one time were Vladimir Alikin, Valery Polkhovsky, and the same Alexander Kasperovich. All of them are people with difficult characters, but we must understand that there are no simple ones at this level.

Personally, I probably would have stopped at the candidacy of Valery Polkhovsky. And would give him the opportunity to staff the coaching staff at his discretion. I know that the very same Alexander Tikhonov will immediately begin to speak out against, but here, it seems to me, there is no need to put personal attitude at the forefront. It is important to understand: a strong head coach, like a strong president of the RRF, will never be good for everyone. But it must first of all be strong and professional people.

But it is necessary to begin any changes, as I have already said, with the RRF board — to restore order there. It is not enough to hold a post in the same State Duma, you need to work. There are people who are able to do this in the board now, they are simply scattered. Drachev himself, of course, will cling to his post until the last, but if you leave him as president, this is a dead end for the entire Russian biathlon.

Take the same sponsors - after all, nobody wants to deal with the SBR. And not only because of the lack of results, but primarily because the President of the RRF cannot negotiate anything seriously. The federation needs a real leader, not a talker. All this, of course, needs to be very seriously discussed at the Council at the end of the season.

- The results of the season, despite the fact that the sports year has not yet been completed, have already been declared successful thanks to the gold and bronze medals of Alexander Loginov in Antholz. Surely the same thing will be said at the Council.

- At the same time, everyone understands perfectly well: in fact, the results of the season are sad. Therefore, I would like to say to Drachev: it did not work out - it happens, no one is safe from failures. But leave yourself, without shame.