The referee scandal in the ribbon exercise finals has become the most talked about event of the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan. In all previous events, Dina Averina took the lead, and her sister Arina won two silver medals. However, in the latter, the referees unexpectedly gave the highest score to the representative of Belarus Alina Gornosko, while the Russians were left behind her. The coaching staff of the national team filed a protest against the girls' assessments, but it was rejected. Dina, realizing that she lost only 0.050 points to her rival in the fight for victory, burst into tears.
“At the moment it is very difficult to comment on something, since such a situation has already happened, and we remember it very well.
Therefore, I do not want to say anything on this topic.
In Tokyo, I said that I did my best, and now I can do the same, ”- quotes the words of the gymnast TASS.
Nevertheless, at home, the sisters' performance made a splash.
Even President Vladimir Putin noted the success of athletes in the exercise with clubs.
“You again performed brilliantly at the current World Championship, demonstrated skills unattainable for your rivals, and rightfully occupied the highest step of the podium in exercises with clubs.
Such an impressive success is a great, well-deserved reward for your hard work, talent, sincere, boundless love for your chosen work.
I wish you all the best, ”reads a congratulatory telegram from head of state Dina Averina.
The decision of the judges to give the gold to Gornosko, ignoring the bright performance of the Averins, aroused indignation in the country.
Many experts called the jury's verdict controversial.
So, according to the medalist of the Olympic Games Yana Batyrshina, Dina, realizing that it is necessary to be “three heads taller than everyone else,” surpassed the Belarusian in both complexity and cleanliness.
“We saw how she, after waiting for the announcement of the marks after the tape, told Irina Viner-Usmanova that she had been lowered from 10.8 to 9.8 points.
I don't understand why this was done.
In my professional opinion - I'm not cunning - Dina made the tape brilliantly, not to find fault with anything.
From and to everything was done perfectly, "- quotes the expert" R-Sport ".
As for Arina's assessment, Batyrshina admitted: the champion performed better, while the Russian woman “made two obvious technical mistakes”.
“But still, the loss should have been much smaller.
I am also offended by the fact that the tape is my favorite exercise with Arina.
It is simply brilliant, it must be shown and disassembled into details.
For me, this is the best exercise with a ribbon in recent years among all the gymnasts I know, ”added Batyrshina.
In turn, ten-time world champion Olga Kapranova, in an interview with TASS, agreed with the harsh criticism of the VFHG president Viner-Usmanova against the judges.
According to her, Dina was clearly underestimated.
“I think the Averins performed well.
They are generally good fellows that after the Olympics they went to the World Championship and are winning it so far, because they have all-around only the day after tomorrow, and now there are separate types of all-around.
Of course, I wanted Dina to win all four types, and it's a pity that she did not win the ribbon, in my opinion, she should have won in this discipline as well.
Let's see what will happen in the all-around, I really hope that the sisters will have gold and silver, ”Kapranova shared.
Silver medalist of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Yana Kudryavtseva, believes that all three medalists performed the exercises with the ribbon quite cleanly, and local failure should become a "push forward" for the national team.
“I have always played for the Russian national team, our girls are the strongest, they have the best performances.
But the judges have a slightly different opinion, it's a shame that they don't fully appreciate it.
How much of a sports story is this?
Girls from other teams are getting better.
We, too.
But here Gornosko is gaining experience, she has long been at a high level.
Rather, competitors are getting better than we stop, "- quotes the words of Kudryavtseva" Championship ".
Finally, four-time world champion Alexandra Soldatova was unpleasantly surprised by the minimal lag of Dina Averina from the Belarusian who won gold.
“I watched the qualifications and finals, so I can say that our girls are great fellows, they did everything very well.
Honestly, I did not expect that there would be second place in the tape, because everyone is used to the fact that when our girls do everything clean, then this is an iron gold medal.
And, of course, it was unexpected to see a gap of 0.05 points, ”Soldatova complained.
The referee scandal at the championship of the planet did not go unnoticed in the State Duma.
For example, the Olympic champion in speed skating Svetlana Zhurova believes that the successful performances of domestic athletes in the world have always been met quite coolly.
“No one has ever liked our victories.
Therefore, it is clear that they will find fault with Russia.
The example of Eteri and Pokrovskaya shows this.
They always say that we have no chance of being wrong.
Unfortunately, these are double standards for our athletes and national teams, where we are favorites.
Each judge examines us under a magnifying glass, and forgives others for shortcomings, ”explained Zhurova.
At the same time, in rhythmic gymnastics, in her opinion, Russians are condemned only because they completely dominate.
“Judges in gymnastics are guided by their convictions, believing that the constant leadership of Russia leads to the extinction of interest in sports throughout the world.
And they are interested in world development.
They do not like the superiority of one country, so they try to violate it by any means, ”Sport24 quotes the deputy.
Also on russian.rt.com "Already in the qualification they called the referee from the USA": Viner-Usmanova on refereeing at the World Cup and the strength of the Averin sisters
Her colleague Dmitry Svishchev called on "without hysterics and emotions" to sort out what happened in Kitakyushu.
“You need to trust the specialists who understand this issue and will be able to say whether this is the right decision or the judges are trying to justify themselves for old Olympic mistakes, to repeat the Olympic scenario.
Because the matter will not go that far, this incident definitely cannot be ignored.
I believe that this is exactly the incident, because lately it has become a tendency to arrange referee scandals with the participation of our athletes, ”the deputy complained.
However, the well-known journalist Dmitry Guberniev urged "to be calmer in this situation."
“We can go very far if every time we intertwine the politics and intrigues of the West.
Now what do we have - the intrigues of Minsk ?!
I think you need to be calmer in this situation.
This happens.
0.05 points between them - to win you have to be totally stronger.
Dina proved that she is a great gymnast and put everything in its place, ”the commentator called.
According to Guberniev, in subjective sports, Russians need to be above competitors so that the judges do not even have the opportunity to find fault with their performance.
“You have to be like our synchronized swimmers.
Other things being equal, questions arise, but to say that the Belarusian gymnast won is dishonest is too much, ”the journalist added.
And the two-time Olympic champion in artistic gymnastics Svetlana Khorkina said that too much attention to the situation could negatively affect the Averin sisters themselves.
“I'm sure we always keep a close eye on the grades.
The situation that was in Tokyo, everyone understands that a huge team and a lot of effort is behind the preparation of an athlete.
I wouldn’t be in a hurry to shout about it loudly, we need to find out the essence, ”Khorkina emphasized.