By Richa Naidu
LONDON (Reuters) – Since the Atlanta 1996 Games when former Soviet countries began competing as individual nations, athletes from Russia and Belarus have twirled, pirouetted and tumbled their way to Olympic dominance in rhythmic gymnastics.
They will not be in Paris this year, however, because of sanctions put in place after the invasion of Ukraine, leaving more than 20 other countries represented in the individual world rankings with a perfect opportunity to bag the sport’s biggest prizes.
U.S. rhythmic gymnastics programme director Caroline Hunt did not think the absence of the Russians and Belarusians would mean a drop in quality when the battle for the two gold medals begins at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena in early August.
“Anytime such a dominant presence in rhythmic gymnastics — or any sport – doesn’t participate, that naturally would impact the field and the contention level,” she told Reuters.
“At the same time, I think the world of rhythmic gymnastics is quite strong, and it’s exciting to see a lot of countries reach quite high levels.”
Germany’s Darja Varfolomeev and Italy’s Sofia Raffaeli topped the individual all-around rankings with Bulgaria’s Elvira Krasnobaeva in third place after the fifth leg of the World Cup series in Milan in June.
In the group all-around, reigning champions Bulgaria, who have won medals at four Olympics, might be well placed to take advantage of the absence of the Russians. Other medal contenders are China, Italy and France.
With Varfolomeev and Margarita Kolosov leading their charge, Germany will be hopeful of a first Olympic medal in the sport since Regina Weber won individual all-around bronze at the Los Angeles 1984 Games.
Linoy Ashram retired after winning the individual all-around gold in Tokyo, breaking the Russian stranglehold on the Olympic title, but her compatriot Daria Atamanov will fly Israel’s flag in Paris.
“All countries can be on the podium as all national federations have invested in their gymnasts and raised the bar high to achieve results,” said Noha Abou Shabana, the rhythmic gymnastics technical committee president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).
An Olympic medal event since the Los Angeles 1984 Games, rhythmic gymnastics sees athletes perform exquisite contortions and manoeuvres to music while using hoops, balls, clubs or ribbons.
They may look delicate as they slip gracefully through hoops and catch clubs while doing the splits in the air, but under the glittery leotards and perfectly coiffed buns their bloodied noses and back surgeries tell a story of brutal perseverance.
Rhythmic gymnastics has long been dominated by Russia and other former Soviet states, which have won 39 of the 48 medals up for grabs since the 1984 Soviet boycott of the Olympic Games.
Russians and Belarusians had initially been banned from competing internationally following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, for which Belarus was used as a staging ground.
As in other sports, there was an avenue for athletes from the two countries to compete in Paris as neutrals without flags, emblems or anthems.
Russian media reported in March that Irina Viner, the head of the All-Russian Federation of Rhythmic Gymnastics, had ruled that out, however.
“Our rhythmic gymnastics team, our coaches and gymnasts, from the very beginning, when they heard the requirements … they said that they would not compete at the Olympics,” Viner told Match TV.
Belarusian Alina Harnasko, who won the individual all-around bronze in Tokyo three years ago, was unable to qualify because she was not allowed to compete in the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in May.
“Of course the Russian and Belarusian athletes are very competitive but other federations took this chance to increase the level of their athletes because now they have a chance of gaining medals,” Abou Shabana added.
(Reporting by Richa Naidu; editing by Clare Fallon)
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