“Why not make a film about Brumel or Isinbayeva”: Privalova on the development of athletics under sanctions

A few weeks ago, a number of letters were sent to World Athletics asking for clarification on the situation with the restoration of ARAF membership.

Did you receive answers to them?

- So far we have received only one letter, which says that soon we will be sent answers to the questions raised.

At first, the international organization was waiting for the debt from our side to be paid for their services in the recovery process.

Now the debt is repaid, I think at the end of this week or early next we will get more detailed data.

The roadmap was completed by us, but, apparently, some nuances remained.

We should be told what exactly we have not completed.

Doesn't sound very optimistic...

- Actually it is not.

I want to note that World Athletics maintains a fairly positive dialogue with us, which is not currently observed in relation to other sports federations.

We are in constant contact with the international experts of the working group: they ask some questions, and at the same time they understand what we want to ask, they know our pain points.

And this is a very good sign for athletics.

It seems to me that WA found the strength to separate politics from sports, despite the fact that the federation is headed by the Englishman Sebastian Coe, and the Ukrainian Sergey Bubka holds the post of vice president.

- Recently, the ARAF held a meeting with the commission of athletes.

What was discussed on it?

“It was a productive workflow.

We were informed about what worries athletes now.

In turn, we stated our position on pressing issues.

The questions were in a sense ordinary.

We discussed aspects of the formation of the national team and the lists of those who will participate in the training camp.

Dealt with salaries.

We seriously discussed changes in the calendar, the extension of the competitive season.

If earlier the plan was drawn up for international competitions, now, when there are none, it would not be entirely reasonable to finish performances at the end of June and rest in July and August.

At the very least, this would cause bewilderment in the Ministry of Sports: why athletes spend six months in the training process and almost never perform anywhere.

Therefore, we extended the calendar, planned a fairly large number of competitions.

Unfortunately, some athletes are not happy about this.

- Why?

This is a great opportunity to keep in shape and even earn money, because, if I'm not mistaken, these tournaments provide prize money, don't they?

- Many are used to this: sit at the training camp, perform at one start - and then feel great.

They are now saying, they say, why do we need these competitions?

Why do we need to perform until mid-August?

And when is your vacation?

There are different opinions, often you have to listen to the negative.

Well, I take it easy.

Everyone has their own opinion.

And usually those who disagree are best heard.

- Recently, a number of athletes wrote a letter to the ARAF demanding that the recovery process in World Athletics be interrupted if they are not allowed to play at international tournaments at least in a neutral status.

Are they still talking in an ultimatum form?

- You know, the demands of the athletes are quite understandable and somewhat fair.

But I think the guys understand that in the current political situation it is difficult to demand something.

It seems to me that these were emotions and now they have subsided, and the realization of other life realities has come.

Nevertheless, we expect to receive a response from WA to this letter as well.

- Against the backdrop of the general isolation of Russian sports, athletics seem to have suffered more than others, because in connection with the suspension it is impossible even to invite foreign athletes to participate in domestic tournaments, as, for example, biathletes did.

- There is a twofold situation.

On the one hand, I, on the contrary, have the impression that our sport has suffered much less than others.

We have been under sanctions for six years, and for us it was not a shock or surprise.

In addition, oddly enough, we now have an even more active dialogue with the working group than before.

On the other hand, you are right: if we invite Belarusian athletes and they come, they will fall under the same sanctions as we do.

When we recover, then we will be able to organize international competitions.

In any case, this will take time.

Maybe the whole situation will have changed by then.

It's hard to guess right now.

Therefore, we solve problems as they come.

- Tell us briefly about the competitions that are planned for the summer.

— The idea is to saturate the calendar with competitions with a prize pool.

We want to make a series of five or six tournaments in which the best athletes will be encouraged.

And at the end of the series, hold something like a finale.

So far, unfortunately, I cannot give specific figures, because the contract with the sponsors has not been officially signed.

But work in this direction is being actively carried out, and everything should grow together.

- Biathletes and skiers at the recent Russian championships were delighted with the way they were received by the public.

Will athletics be in such demand among fans? 

“It all depends on how we can present ourselves.

If there is good advertising, then there will be many viewers.

Some actions in social networks, calls to support athletes in difficult times.

Our people are responsive, they will see and come to the stadiums.

And of course, it is important for athletes to show good results so that the audience is interested.

And I also have such an idea, let's say, for the future.

Now they are shooting a lot of sports films - both about teams and about specific people.

But in athletics there are also such personalities, great athletes, about whom biographical tapes could be made.

Why not talk about Valeria Brumel or Elena Isinbayeva?

I think it would be very useful to popularize our sport.

- Is this series of tournaments, which has already been called an analogue of the Diamond League, planned for only one season?

Or is it a larger undertaking?

“Of course, this is work for the future.

If we start, then seriously and for a long time.

In the future, you can even expand, increase the number of competitions, raise the prize fund.

At the end of the season, it would be possible to hold a gala evening with the awarding of the best athletes and coaches, to make many different nominations.

There are a lot of ideas, but all this, as usual, rests on finances.

However, as you know, water does not flow under a lying stone, so you need to take it and do it.

“It’s even a pity that such an interesting project began to be implemented only six years after the imposition of sanctions.

- You know, all these years it seemed to us that just about - and we will be released, the restrictions will be lifted.

And all forces were thrown precisely there, on this front of work.

The other one had to mature.

And now, apparently, that time has come.