Evgenia Medvedeva | Page 197 | Golden Skate

Evgenia Medvedeva

I think it puts the rest of the competitors in a strange place if the Russian ladies don’t compete. The Olympics are arguably the pinnacle of world figure skating - would it really be this if 3 of the top medal contenders weren’t there? I’d feel slightly strange winning a medal when that level of competition is missing from the event...(maybe that’s just me being really bitchy)
 
tran said:
Zhenya said she won't compete as a neutral athlete.
http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2017/12/05/yevgenia-medvedeva-russia-olympics/
Click to expand...

We have to wait now, this won't be her choice. The top of the government will decide. If they say that the athletes who participate will be heroes, despite the terrible conditions of being forced to go without the flag/athem etc, basically painting it positively, in that way, she'll go I am sure of it.

Of course, if they do the opposite ... we wait. What else, wait and cross everything.
 
Evgenia's speech
Dear President, dear members of the Executive Committee!

I am honored to be here today. Thank you for the opportunity to address you on behalf of Russian athletes.

I have until the last moment tried not to pay attention to the negative news related to Russian sports. I thought that we, the “clean” Russian athletes, had nothing to worry about. If someone really committed anti-doping rule violations, we certainly do not have anything to do with this.

In 2014, I was 14 years old. I have not even entered the adult national team of my country. For me personally, Pyeongchang should be the first chance to plunge into the unique atmosphere of the Olympic Games. I do not understand why I and my Russian teammates can lose this chance.

I took part in many different tournaments and I’m terribly proud of my two world title titles. But the Olympics is a dream! Everyone has dreams, and you probably already had a chance to fulfill your own. Let me do the same! I do not know if there will be other Games in my sports life after Pyeongchang.

I always believed that the opportunity to compete at the Olympics should be fought on the ice. Unfortunately, now I understand that I can lose this chance because of circumstances that do not depend on me in any way.

I can not accept the option that I would compete in the Olympic Games without the Russian flag as a neutral athlete. I am proud of my country, it is a great honor for me to represent it at the Games. It gives strength and inspires me during the performances.

In addition, for me both personal and team tournaments are equally important at the Olympics. If I perform without a national flag, I will not be able to compete in the team. At the same time, my other rivals will have this opportunity. The Olympic Charter states that all athletes should have equal opportunities. And in this case there can be no question of equality.

Dear members of the executive committee! I promise you that if I play at the Olympics in Pyeongchang, I will do my best not to disappoint you and adequately represent your country and the Olympic movement as a whole. Thank you for attention!
Click to expand...
 
zblc015 said:
I think it puts the rest of the competitors in a strange place if the Russian ladies don’t compete. The Olympics are arguably the pinnacle of world figure skating - would it really be this if 3 of the top medal contenders weren’t there? I’d feel slightly strange winning a medal when that level of competition is missing from the event...(maybe that’s just me being really bitchy)
Click to expand...

At the beginning it might feel strange. But later on no one cares under what situation those medals are awarded. People will just remember who's the OGMer.

This decision is in favor of those who were fighting for bronze. Now they can aiming for gold.
 
yoloaxel said:
Evgenia's speech
Dear President, dear members of the Executive Committee!

I am honored to be here today. Thank you for the opportunity to address you on behalf of Russian athletes.

I have until the last moment tried not to pay attention to the negative news related to Russian sports. I thought that we, the “clean” Russian athletes, had nothing to worry about. If someone really committed anti-doping rule violations, we certainly do not have anything to do with this.

In 2014, I was 14 years old. I have not even entered the adult national team of my country. For me personally, Pyeongchang should be the first chance to plunge into the unique atmosphere of the Olympic Games. I do not understand why I and my Russian teammates can lose this chance.

I took part in many different tournaments and I’m terribly proud of my two world title titles. But the Olympics is a dream! Everyone has dreams, and you probably already had a chance to fulfill your own. Let me do the same! I do not know if there will be other Games in my sports life after Pyeongchang.

I always believed that the opportunity to compete at the Olympics should be fought on the ice. Unfortunately, now I understand that I can lose this chance because of circumstances that do not depend on me in any way.

I can not accept the option that I would compete in the Olympic Games without the Russian flag as a neutral athlete. I am proud of my country, it is a great honor for me to represent it at the Games. It gives strength and inspires me during the performances.

In addition, for me both personal and team tournaments are equally important at the Olympics. If I perform without a national flag, I will not be able to compete in the team. At the same time, my other rivals will have this opportunity. The Olympic Charter states that all athletes should have equal opportunities. And in this case there can be no question of equality.

Dear members of the executive committee! I promise you that if I play at the Olympics in Pyeongchang, I will do my best not to disappoint you and adequately represent your country and the Olympic movement as a whole. Thank you for attention!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
:sad21:
 
Repost from the general thread about the Russian ban:
:sad21::cry::no:
Reading Zhenya's letter makes me feel more sympathetic for these Russian athletes who have fought so hard their entire life to have a chance to realize their Olympic dreams, and Zhenya even mentioned that "I do not know if there will be other Games in my sports life after Pyeongchang"... I couldn't imagine how heartbroken she would be if her Olympic dream got shattered like this. I really wish they would still compete under a neutral flag or what because they truly deserve it! Maybe they could all change their costumes or accessories to white, blue and red to show some Russian spirits without being punished for wearing their national symbol...

Zhenya, you will always be the Olympic champion in our heart!
 
Feeling devastated, although deep inside I knew it was coming. Putin will give a speech tmr regarding participation. But I also have a bad feeling about it.

All I can say, clean athletes, such as Zhenay DESERVE to compete at Olympics under their country’s flag!
Don’t let politics ruin SPORT! Such collective punishment is a crime against humanity imo.

Stay strong Zhenya, in my heart you are already an Olympic champion! I simply wish you be healthy and have the motivation to skate longer!
 
Yatagarasu said:
We have to wait now, this won't be her choice. The top of the government will decide. If they say that the athletes who participate will be heroes, despite the terrible conditions of being forced to go without the flag/athem etc, basically painting it positively, in that way, she'll go I am sure of it.

Of course, if they do the opposite ... we wait. What else, wait and cross everything.
Click to expand...

bsfan said:
At the beginning it might feel strange. But later on no one cares under what situation those medals are awarded. People will just remember who's the OGMer.
Click to expand...

+++

Sports fans, commentators, etc. will know and remember who won a competition at the Olympics. And they will even know/remember that a Russian athlete (or whatever nationality) won X competition, even he/she didn't compete under the country's flag at that time because of unprecedented events.

The thing is, everything right now is about politics: will the Russian Government consider it offensive/a shame to have Russian athletes attend the Olympics without wearing the national symbols, or will the Russian Government consider that having so called "neutral" athletes at the Olympics - who will probably win a whole bunch of medals - will support their statement regarding the unfair ban/how Russia is treated unfairly?

Anyway, I hope to see Evgenia and the other Russian skaters there, otherwise the competition would be like a low tier GP event. Also, if feel really sorry for her if she's not attending... can't even imagine how it feels to be in her shoes right now (sorry, no pun intended regarding her injury :palmf: )
 
It's sad, but this decision was expected.

I really think Evgenia should return to Russia, heal completely from her injury, train hard and go to Korea in full force. She has nothing to be ashamed of, and some years from now, if she win these Olympics, she will be remembered as "Evgenia Medvedeva, Russian Olympic Champion"; the ban will be just a detail in her biography. I hope Zhenya and the other Russian skaters decide to compete. I think it would be nice if fans outside Russia could send encouraging messages for her, Voronov, etc in their social media.
 
freeman21 said:
+++

Sports fans, commentators, etc. will know and remember who won a competition at the Olympics. And they will even know/remember that a Russian athlete (or whatever nationality) won X competition, even he/she didn't compete under the country's flag at that time because of unprecedented events.

The thing is, everything right now is about politics: will the Russian Government consider it offensive/a shame to have Russian athletes attend the Olympics without wearing the national symbols, or will the Russian Government consider that having so called "neutral" athletes at the Olympics - who will probably win a whole bunch of medals - will support their statement regarding the unfair ban/how Russia is treated unfairly?

Anyway, I hope to see Evgenia and the other Russian skaters there, otherwise the competition would be like a low tier GP event. Also, if feel really sorry for her if she's not attending... can't even imagine how it feels to be in her shoes right now (sorry, no pun intended regarding her injury :palmf: )
Click to expand...

You are making right points, but being Russian myself I highly doubt that governments would allow competing under a neutral flag...

But most importantly, competing under neutral flag is extremely difficult!
Athletes will be ALONE there, without any support. No officials representers, managers, maybe not even doctors and etc will be allowed to come with them. Probably only coaches are allowed, plus who would finance all this?
Imagine how hard to compete when you are alone, feeling punished for doing nothing wrong, all world is watching on you and your countries' symbolic is not allowed at all...

I really want Zhenay and other Russian skaters to participate, but it would be extremely hard under a neutral flag, although I think it's the right thing to do in a current situation.
 
Sveta said:
Athletes will be ALONE there, without any support. No officials representers, managers, maybe not even doctors and etc will be allowed to come with them. Probably only coaches are allowed, plus who would finance all this?
Click to expand...

This is not entirely true.
The ruling says that no coach or doctor who has had an athlete previously involved with doping is allowed to be in PC so for example, someone like Eteri isn't going to have any problems. I doubt any doctor working with them has had any either.

No coach or medical doctor whose athlete has been found to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation can be included on the invitation list. All coaches and medical doctors included on the invitation list must sign a declaration to this effect.
Click to expand...

They also say that

These invited athletes will enjoy the same technical and logistical support as any other Olympic athlete.
The panel, at its absolute discretion, will determine an invitation list for support staff and officials.
Click to expand...

so basically, they will ban anyone who in their minds was connected to Sochi. Since figure skating is a sport that wasn't really touched by that, it should still be ok, provided the choice is to go. It's not going to be easy, what with the invitations, paperwork and all, of course but they should be there.
 
Sveta said:
But most importantly, competing under neutral flag is extremely difficult!
Athletes will be ALONE there, without any support. No officials representers, managers, maybe not even doctors and etc will be allowed to come with them. Probably only coaches are allowed, plus who would finance all this?
Imagine how hard to compete when you are alone, feeling punished for doing nothing wrong, all world is watching on you and your countries' symbolic is not allowed at all.
Click to expand...

I didn't even think about this! But I think they will be allowed to have support as per the decision itself. They wouldn't leave them all out completely to dry and fend for themselves.
 
Sveta said:
Being Russian myself I highly doubt that governments would allow competing under a neutral flag...
Click to expand...

Yeah... Obviously I'm not from Russia, but this his how it looks from outside also... unfortunately. I seriously doubt Putin would leave his/the nation's pride aside just for the good of a few athletes.

Sveta said:
But most importantly, competing under neutral flag is extremely difficult!
Athletes will be ALONE there, without any support. No officials representers, managers, maybe not even doctors and etc will be allowed to come with them. Probably only coaches are allowed, plus who would finance all this?
Imagine how hard to compete when you are alone, feeling punished for doing nothing wrong, all world is watching on you and your countries' symbolic is not allowed at all...

I really want Zhenay and other Russian skaters to participate, but it would be extremely hard under a neutral flag, although I think it's the right thing to do in a current situation.
Click to expand...

Well I can't say I'm familiar with this kind of stuff, but are you sure "neutral" athletes can't bring staff?

And regarding costs, I'm sure Evgenia and Eteri can afford booking some hotel rooms for a week + pay for the other miscellaneous costs involved.

I don't know, maybe I'm oversimplifying things...
 
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