From Atlanta to Sydny

The “mighty Soviet colossus” once excelled at many things. But today, it is only in sports that Russia has retained anything like its former glory on the world stage. As three-time Olympic Champion Alexander Karelin said recently, “if in all other spheres we are ‘done’ and ‘smashed,’ in the world sports arena Russia hasn’t yet given up its position.”

Logically, this does not make sense, however. The Russian government is spending relatively little to support its athletes—just $20 mn on the national Olympic team, vs. Australia’s $200 mn or the US Olympic Committee’s $1 bn. And yet, the Russian Olympic Committee is still making “medal plans,” just like in the halcyon days of Soviet Sport, when Soviet athletes regularly out-medaled their Cold War rivals from the US, providing a non-military yardstick with which to measure the superpowers’ prowess.

“There is nothing to be ashamed of when making such plans,” said Anatoly Kolesov, the Olympic wrestling champion who is now head of the Russian National Olympic Committee’s Operational Headquarters for the 2000 Olympics. “Everyone makes such prognoses—us, the Americans, the Germans, the Chinese. At present, we forecast three groups of Olympic leaders—the Russians and Americans will each win approximately 35-37 gold medals and 85-87 medals overall; Germany and China: 23-25 and 82-84, respectively; Australia and France: 20-22 golds and 55-60 total medals.”

Indeed, at first glance, the prognosis would seem good for Russia winning back its Olympic medal leadership. Last year, in world competitions, American athletes won 17 titles in sports that have Olympic competitions, while Russia won 27. Yet the recent increase in the number of Olympic sports from 271 to 300 may counterbalance this. In some of the newer Olympic sports—like baseball or women’s soccer—Russia’s top medal rival, the US, has clear predominance. In baseball (see Russian Life, May-June 2000) Russia can only dream of qualifying for the 2004 games. And the women’s soccer team—just like the men’s—failed to qualify for the Sydney games. Then there is the fact that, in some of the sports most promising for Russia, e.g. weightlifting or wrestling, certain competition categories have been eliminated.

Unlike their counterparts in many western countries—especially the US—Russia’s Olympic athletes cannot count on lucrative endorsement contracts if they bring home the gold. In fact, even the best Russian Olympians still tend to go unrecognized. Recently, the International Federation of Sports Journalists conducted a poll among sports journalists about the 10 greatest world athletes of the 20th century. Despite the fact that Russia (or the USSR) led the world in Olympic medals for decades, not one Russian athlete was on this prestigious list. President of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, when asked about this anomaly, was diplomatic and circumspect: “There are so many such contests held each year. The best were voted in by journalists. And I could not decide anything personally.”

Informally, Samaranch cited  three Russian names worth nomination to such a list: three-time Olympic figure skating champion Irina Rodnina (just voted Russia’s female athlete of the century, see page 11), gymnast Larisa Latynina (who brought home nine Olympic golds—the other only athlete to win so many Olympic golds is Carl Lewis) and Samaranch’s “favorite,” soccer goalie Lev Yashin.

Still, Russia’s Olympic medalists will receive some monetary appreciation from their homeland. This year, the plan is to award Russia’s Olympic medalists $100,000 for a gold medal, $30,000 for silver and $20,000 for bronze. This is the same level as four years ago, yet only 10% of this sum is to be paid in hard currency, the rest in rubles.

But, as Olympic wrestler (and now pro-Kremlin Duma deputy) Alexander Karelin, put it, “Our guys are not going to the Olympics only for the medals or the prize money. They want to make a decent performance worthy of a world power. Our sportsmen have a distinct national self-esteem ...  when people accost you on the street, give you a slap on the back saying: ‘Sanya, well done, come on, show them!’ this places a great responsibility on you.”

Karelin, the Russian bogatyr (warrior), just clinched his 12th (!) European title in Greco-Roman wrestling at the European Championship held in Moscow in April. If he takes the gold in Sydney, he will be the first wrestler ever to win the gold at four successive Olympics. Yet this will be a substantial challenge: Karelin has been taking seriously his new political responsibilities with the Unity party (also called “Medved,” or “Bear”), some say to the detriment of his sport. Indeed, sports observers called his performance at the European Championships lackluster, and he had a tough time defending his “Champion of Russia” title against the tough, 20-year-old contender, Yuri Patrikeev.

Of course, Karelin is not the only “bear” on Russia’s National Olympic Team.

The strongest man on the planet, Andrei Chemerkin, hopes to win his second Olympic gold in the top weightlifting category. At the latest world championship in Athens, Chemerkin won two gold medals. But Russia only placed seventh in the overall medal competition. Lifters from Turkey and Greece are expected to be the strongest competition. But Chemerkin’s efforts will be reinforced by world and Olympic champion Alexei Petrov, plus “the two Yevgenys”: Yevgeny Shishlyannikov and Yevgeny Chigishev, who could, together, bring home another 2-3 medals.

In women’s weight-lifting, Russian athletes suffer from a neglect of the sport for many years. Today, the leaders in this sport are Chinese and Bulgarian athletes. But, in at least one category—the 63 kg. rank—the team has a bright star: Valentina Popova. Coached by her husband, Sergei, Popova won the gold at the European Championship in Sofia last spring and stands a good chance of winning a medal in Sydney.

Russia’s volleyball squads are also expected to do well. After many years of disappointing results, the men’s team recently won the World Cup, beating all the world’s top teams, from Cuba, the US, Italy and Brazil. Meanwhile, the women’s team is also taking a leading position. At a pre-Olympic international tourney in Moscow, Russia’s female volleyballers defeated Japan and the US 3:1 and 3:0, respectively. The team’s excellent setter, Yelena Vasilevskaya, has been named best in her category in several recent international events.

The men’s handball team has seen its share of ups and downs recently, but still is a force to be reckoned with. Last year, the team lost its world title to Sweden 25:24, and there is valid speculation that the two countries will face off again in the Olympic finals.

In tennis, Russia has long had a top-ranking team, but never gold medalists. Russia’s top tennis player, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who has held the world’s #1 slot on and off this past year, has said that winning the Olympic gold is one of the strongest motivations in his career. Sydney will be his best chance to make this dream a reality. For, despite his recent disastrous performance in the Davis Cup, Kafelnikov is at the top of his game. And Australia has been good to him—he won his second Grand Slam title there in 1999. What is more, Kafelnikov will also be joined by 20-year-old Marat Safin, who recently jumped to #9 in world rankings—making this the first time ever that Russia will bring two top-ten tennis players to the Olympics.

On the women’s team, while Anna Kurnikova may steal the spotlight, two other strong players, Yelena Dementieva and Yelena Likhovtseva, will give the team depth and talent that could bring home a medal.

In track and field, Russia’s hopes are high, which many credit to the arrival of coach Valery Kulichenko, who has brought renewed discipline and financial oversight to the national team. The team finished second at the 1999 World Championship in Seville, taking home 13 medals, including six golds. In speed walking, Ilya Markov is a good bet to win the 20 km walk, as is German Skuryguin in the 50 km event. Maxim Tarasov took the gold for the pole vault in Seville, and Vyacheslav Voronin won there for the high jump, making both strong contenders for Olympic gold. Russia’s best hopes in running events are mid-distance runner Yuri Borzakovsky, just 18, who has already won a European title, and Svetlana Masterkova, who won the gold medal in Seville for the 1500 meter race and contributed to her team’s gold in the 4x400 relay.

Masterkova, 32, had operations on both her achilles tendons last November and even sat out six lucrative tournies to rest up for Sydney. “To hell with the money,” she said. “I can’t risk the Olympics after all!” Masterkova claims she can run the 1500 meter race in Sydney “even without special practice,” but admits to coveting a win in the 800 meter event.

Previous generations of Russian Olympians have been strong in rowing and cycling, particularly in the bike roadrace, but no Russian sports official would make a positive prediction in these sports for Sydney.

Russia has also been strong in boxing in the past, but some of the nation’s best boxers have been lured away from the Olympic rings by the bigger prize dollars of professional boxing. And yet, after a strong showing at the recent European Championships, Russia became the only team going to Sydney which will have a boxer in all 12 weight categories. The European champion in the 63.5 kg category, Alexander Leonov, said he believes Russia is now a boxing powerhouse, particularly as Cuba is on the decline.

In gymnastics, Russia’s nearly unassailable supremacy of the past is gone. There are still some remarkable stars, like the handsome crowd-pleaser Alexei Nemov, from Togliatti (who led his Russia to the team gold in the European Championships earlier this year), but competition from the Chinese, the Belorusans and Americans will be very strong in the men’s events. Russia does have a new star in 20-year-old Nikolai Kryukov, who won the gold in all-around individual gymnastics in China last year (China took the team gold in the all-around competition.). Yet Kryukov is recovering from some injuries and may not be able to compete in Sydney.

The traditionally strong women’s gymnastics team is led by the charming Svetlana Khorkina, from Belgorod. Khorkina had a disappointing performance at the World Championships in China, but rebounded at the European Championships this May, where she won four of the six golds possible. In Sydney, Khorkina’s efforts will be bolstered by her younger teammates Yelena Zamolodchikova  and Yelena Pridunova.

In swimming, 1996 Olympic gold medalist Alexander Popov is a serious contender for repeat golds. This despite being stabbed in Moscow two years ago by a street thug. He now lives and trains in Australia, but will swim for Russia. Russian officials estimate that the American team will win the lion’s share (10-12) of golds in swimming, unless Australia can seriously challenge US supremacy in the pool. Synchronized swimming has traditionally be a strength of the Russian team, and European Champion Olga Brusnikina may help Russia score a gold in this event in Sydney.

In basketball, the Russian team is a far cry from its Soviet predecessors, who won the gold twice—in 1972 and 1988—beating the US team on both occasions. Russia does have bright young stars, like Andrei Kirilenko, 19, from CSKA, who has landed a Nike endorsement contract  and been voted Russia’s basketball player of the year. Yet most observers do not expect Russia to medal in basketball.

If there is one Olympic discipline where Russian chances are highest, it is rhythmic gymnastics. Young Alina Kabaeva (see Russian Life, March/April 2000) is favored to take the gold in Sydney—her only possible window of opportunity for this medal, given the rigors of this sport. Russia’s rhythmic gymnastics team won the world title last fall in Tokyo and Kabaeva holds the world title in individual all-around competition.

Of course, as always, there

will be unexpected successes and failures in Syndey. As the late Russian TV and radio commentator Nikolai Ozerov once said: “This is exactly why we love sports so much.”

Would the late Nikolai Nikolaevich, whose voice brought so many Olympics home to his fellow Russians, even recognize his home team today? Certainly he would be surprised to see the impact Russian tennis players are having on the game. And he would hardly be able to grasp Russia’s inability to qualify for the soccer competition. Certainly the idea of a Russian/Soviet athlete living and training abroad, like Popov (or Kafelnikov, Kurnikova and most all our figure skaters) would have been unfathomable. Many Russians today even have trouble with this notion. Wrestler and Duma deputy Karelin said he came up against this question while on the campaign trail. “... Some people began talking down Popov in my presence...,” Karelin recalled. “‘He lives in Australia,’ they said. ‘He is looking for a better life, blah-blah-blah.’ And I replied, ‘What difference does it make where the man lives, if he is still loyal to his country?!’”

Interestingly, patriotism for one’s newly founded country (i.e. Ukraine or Belarus or Kazakstan) may be the biggest obstacle (aside from sheer financial issues) keeping Russia from regaining the top spot in overall medals at the Olympics. Pensioner and soccer fan Gennady Perfiliev is a regular at Moscow’s Dinamo stadium. “I still cannot fathom that our soccer team may not play in the Olympics,” he told a reporter. “... If you hate the socialist system for the hell of it, that’s one thing. But why did we need to destroy our system of sports preparation? Now our soccer team is nowhere near its Soviet predecessors. Result? Ukraine and Russia are weakening each other in the European arena and neither qualified for the EURO finals. Moreover, because of the break-up of the [Soviet] sports team, some smaller ex-Soviet republics won’t even see some of their talented players at the Olympics at all.”

Could we ever envisage the revival of a “unified CIS team” for the Olympics, as was the case in Barcelona in 1992? Given the moribund state of the CIS, this seems very unlikely. Lithuanian basketball stars would not seem too keen to help the Russians beat the American team as they did in 1988 in Seoul. But some athletes from other CIS states have moved to Russia to join the Russian team, like tennis star Yelena Likhovtseva, who grew up in Alma-Aty, Kazakstan, or rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva (born in Uzbekistan).

Of course, if the point of such a unified team is merely to raise one’s overall medal ranking, then it is only a shell game. But if the end result were to reinstill greater pride in one’s national sports team, that is another thing altogether. And it is there that sport enters the realm of politics. After all, your average Ivan in Omsk may not be able to fathom the benefit of a Russian-Belarusan economic union, whose effect would be little felt in his Siberian town. But a unified Slavic Olympic squad that helped “his” home team recapture the soccer gold medal? That effect would be palpable.

To paraphrase the founder of the Olympic Movement, Pierre de Coubertin, “Oh, sports, you are politics.” Which may be one reason why Vladimir Putin (an avowed sports fan) went to Belarus (home of gymnasts Vitaly Sherba and Olga Korbut, to name but a few Olympic medalists of years past) on one of his first official visits after winning the presidential election last March.

Meanwhile, as this issue was going to press, there were voices being heard in Yerevan, capital of Armenia, demanding that this Caucasian country join the Russian-Belarusan Union. The Russian sports fan cannot but welcome this: Armenia supplied the Soviet National Olympic team with many top-caliber athletes, including gold medal long jumper Igor Ter-Ovanesyan, and the legendary weightlifter Yurik Vardanyan.

This is all very interesting to contemplate, with or without a crystal ball. But the hard reality of the present is that Russia faces many difficult obstacles in maintaining its “superpower” status in the world of sport. Given all that has transpired in the past half-decade, some observers are already saying that a strong second place in overall medals would be a “glorious victory” for the Russian team.