Russia's Viktoria Listunova, who is the defending European all around champion, hopes that she will be allowed to compete at the upcomin...
Russia's Viktoria Listunova, who is the defending European all around champion, hopes that she will be allowed to compete at the upcoming European championships which will be held from August 11-21 in Munich, Germany.
"I try not to pay attention to the difficulties and think about the good. When the decision to dismiss was made, it was sad, insulting. As many say, sport is out of politics, but then this situation happens ..," Listunova said according to Google Translate.
"Let me give an example of the World Cup in Doha. We go to the finals and suddenly they announce to us that we can not compete ... You go to the start with such thoughts, incomprehensible. Thank God, at least they let us in, I was extremely happy."
"But I can’t really comment on this story, since I’m not involved in it. My job is to prepare, train and perform. Let's hope that we will be allowed to Europe, which means now in Kazan (at the Russian Championship - Sports.ru) we need to show the result."
Russian athletes and officials, including judges, have been banned from taking part in FIG competitions or FIG-sanctioned competitions from 7 March 2022 until further notice, following Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine.
Listunova, who turned senior in 2021, was part of the Olympic gold winning ROC team at the last Summer Olympic Games.
This year's European championships will only be holding team and individual event finals.
The 16 year old gymnast was among the Russian athletes who attended last month' Moscow rally where Russian president Vladimir Putin justified the invasion of Ukraine and promised that all the Kremlin’s aims would be achieved.
Photo by Ginnastica Artistica Italiana
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