gymn Digest                 Thu, 15 Dec 94       Volume 3 : Issue  47

 

Today's Topics:

                     Brought to you by USA Gym...

             Brought to you by USA Gymnastics... (3 msgs)

                     Good luck to Michelle Campi

                                Grips

                                Help!

                             l'Equipe...

             letter5:  International Gymnastic Enthusiast

          letter5:  International Gymnastic Enthusiast (fwd)

             Minor changes to December Calendar (2 msgs)

               Need Trivia Questions-Unexpected Victors

            New Skills from Brisbane! (from WTC) (9 msgs)

                       shannon fiasco.... (fwd)

                         Shcherbo speaks out!

                      Sullivan Award fan voting

                    UMASS gymnastics open results

 

This is a digest of the gymn@athena.mit.edu mailing list. 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 12:50:37 -0500

From: ***@aol.com

Subject: Brought to you by USA Gym...

 

Good front tumbling is hard to master. I like to see the variety in tumbling

passes now that front tumbling is more encouraged by the code.

Leesa

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 94 09:14:05 PST

From: ***@ccm.fm.intel.com

Subject: Brought to you by USA Gymnastics...

 

Text item:

 

 

Let's get creative with the Code.   This is for all Classics,

Championships, and trials for Int. Seniors and Juniors .

In Comp II (all around), both vaults will be averaged, BUT 0.1

BONUS if vaults from two different families are performed.  If a

10.00 vault is performed, any landing deductions are to be REDUCED by

50%. Also, the gymnasts gets 0.05 BONUS for stuck landings on any "E"move

dismounts off beam and bars, as well as the last tumbling pass on floor. 

>>>>  I certainly hope this does NOT mean we will be seeing a sudden surge in

Rudi dismounts on floor.

 

Text item: External Message Header

 

The following mail header is for administrative use

and may be ignored unless there are problems.

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 16:08:15 -0500 (EST)

From: ***@minerva.cis.yale.edu

Subject: Brought to you by USA Gymnastics...

 

On Wed, 7 Dec 1994, Greg wrote:

 

Also, the gymnasts gets 0.05 BONUS for stuck landings on any "E"move

> dismounts off beam and bars, as well as the last tumbling pass on floor. 

 

> >>>>  I certainly hope this does NOT mean we will be seeing a sudden surge in

> Rudi dismounts on floor.

 

I would count on it.

 

:)

Adriana

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 07 Dec 1994 15:37:13 -0700 (MST)

From: ***@asu.edu

Subject: Brought to you by USA Gymnastics...

 

>

> Also, the gymnasts gets 0.05 BONUS for stuck landings on any "E"move

> > dismounts off beam and bars, as well as the last tumbling pass on floor. 

>

> > >>>>  I certainly hope this does NOT mean we will be seeing a sudden surge in

> > Rudi dismounts on floor.

>

> I would count on it.

 

      I doubt we'll be seeing any double layout dismounts (a la Gutsu)

from this spiffy new "let's encourage as much 'difficulty' as possible so

we're internationally competitive" bonus rule. Rudis it shall be!

 

Amanda

 

------------------------------

 

Date: 8 Dec 94 10:19:38 EDT

From: ***@notes.bsginc.com

Subject: Good luck to Michelle Campi

 

Hey Gymn,

 

I got a note from a friend at Dynamo that Michelle Campi will be leaving on

Sunday for her second surgery.  If you like, please send her encouraging email

-- my friend is making sure that Michelle checks her email account before she

leaves.

 

Michelle's address is "***@delphi.com".

 

Rachele

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Fri, 09 Dec 94 11:25:01 -0500

From: ***@a1.csoc.umc.dupont.com

Subject: Grips

 

[This message is converted from WPS-PLUS to ASCII]

 

OK, I'll take a shot at this.

 

>the description of some of these new skills on bars go into detail on

grips...

>can someone give a brief description of the types of grips (reg,

inverted,

>eagle) and describe what the hand positions are?

 

>thanks

 

Regular: Hanging with the palms facing forward.  Thumbs point toward

each other.

 

Reverse: Hanging with palms facing behind you.  Thumbs point away from

each other.

 

Eagle: Start with a reverse grip, then do a "skin the cat". This grip

would normally be obtained by pirouette (only with good shoulder

flexibility) or shoot through; not by doing a skin the cat.

 

Inverted: Someone help me out here. I think that this is the reverse of

the eagle grip (i.e. start with a regular grip and do the old "skin the

cat".  This is the grip used for the german giant.

 

Mixed: One hand in reg. one in rev. grip.  Thumbs point in the same

direction.

 

Cross: Wrists crossed over. Usually (always?) in mixed grip.

 

 

Some other comments about grips if you're curious about terminology.

 

- A regular grip is the usual grip for a backward giant.

 

- A reverse grip is the usual grip for a forward giant.

 

- Changes in these grips usually add difficulty to a skill.

 

Hope this helps.

 

-Jim

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Thu, 8 Dec 1994 14:27:22 -0500 (EST)

From: ***@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu

Subject: Help!

 

Dear everyone,

     Last night magnus went nuts and annihilated ALL my mail, including the

letters regarding the NCAA, etc., plus other gymn and personal messages. Since

I tend to write to people by just hitting "reply," I've now basically lost

everyone's address (unless they're really easy to remember). So I have 2

requests: 1) Can someone resend me the NCAA letters, and 2) Can the people I

write to regularly (Debbie, Adriana, Joe, Sherwin, to name a few whose

addresses I don't know offhand) send me quick notes just so I'll have the

addresses again? Thanks!:)

 

Beth

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Thu,  8 Dec 94 23:59:00 UTC

From: ***@genie.geis.com

Subject: l'Equipe...

 

Yesterday's _l'Equipe_ printed a tiny paragraph about 2 recent meets.  The

first was held in Barcelona last weekend [Joachim Blume?] --

 

 1. Claudia Presecan (ROM)  38.987

 2. Dina Kochetkova (RUS)   38.762

 3. Katie Teft (USA)        38.537

 4. Isabelle Severino (FRA) 38.475

 5. Monica Martin (ESP)     38.462

 

And, "Eric Poujade, European and World vice champion on PH, is on form.  The

proof:  he finished in 2nd place at the DTB Cup in Stuttgart on Sunday..."

 

Debbie

 

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 09:45:26 -0600 (CST)

From: ***@rainbow.uchicago.edu

Subject: letter5:  International Gymnastic Enthusiast

 

 

         Here is the letter I promised which more appropriately

 addresses some of the concerns of the international gymnastics

 athlete and enthusiast.  Again, if you wish to help the NACGC

 lobyying effort, just forward this letter to me at

 

 ***@rainbow.uchicago.edu ,

 

 [ or, if you prefer, I will provide the E-mail address and a Unix

 c-shell script so that you may mail the letter from your site. ]

 

         Dr. Charles Martin

         The University of Chicago

 

 -----------------------------------------------------------------

 

 <Dear Mr./Mrs. President/Athletic Director>:

 

 

         As an active and interested member of the international gymnastics

 community, I have always regarded the United States gymnastics program

 as a source of great inspiration.  With its successful mixture of high-caliber

 athletic training and academic excellence, the United States' collegiate

 division has been a guiding light for young, aspiring gymnasts throughout

 the world.  However, today I fear that this heroic legacy is in grave danger.

 

         The National Collegiate Athletics Association will very shortly cut

 all funding to university men's gymnastics programs and eliminate the men's

 national championships competition.  With these decisions, the NCAA will

 not only dash the aspirations of the over 32,000 high school and club gymnasts

 hoping to continue their training in college, but will also seriously injure

 the United States' gymnastics program in general and hence the sport as a

 whole.  For this reason, I strongly urge you, as a representative of your

 university, to vote  "yes" to proposal 1-87 which will extend the moratorium

 on amendment 18.2.10.1 of the NCAA charter.  Only through your concerted

 efforts will this threat to the sport of  gymnastics be quelled.

 

         Gymnasts and commentators around the world have always attributed the

 United States' consistent success in international gymnastics competitions

 to the quality of its training programs and its unbiased selection process.

 Unlike in every other country on the globe, gymnastics is neither

 administrated by state officials nor reserved for the very rich. 

 While the club system has grown in the past ten years, it is still not

 necessary for an aspiring gymnast to leave his home and school life in order

 to find a gym in which to train (all at a great cost to his parents). 

 Rather, the gymnast has been able to pursue his gymnastics career alongside

 his education -- in high school and college.  Many universities

 even offer scholarships to young, intelligent gymnasts, granting them an

 opportunity at higher education they may not have otherwise had.

 The elimination of the NCAA program will have two negative results to

 this democratic process: 

 

         1) it will transform gymnastics into an elite sport which will

 prove to be neither racially nor ethnically diverse;

 

         2) it will force many scholar/athletes to make a choice between a

 college education and a gymnastics career.  The result will be a severe

 reduction in the talent pool of potential gymnasts and the further demise

 of United States gymnastics as a whole.

 

         I tremble at the impact such a decision will have on the

 international image of the United States.  A country which prides itself

 on the values of free choice and equal opportunity will now be seen as

 selling out its ideals to corporate/fiscal interests.  The NCAA would prefer

 to support high-revenue earning sports such as football and basketball.

 As such, instead of fulfilling its call for excellence in mind, body, and

 spirit, it propounds the value of the dollar.  Were this to be publicized

 globally, the international uproar would be unprecedented.  American

 universities would be seen for what they may indeed be becoming,

 toadying puppets for the accumulation of capital.  I would hate to see

 this occur to an educational system I have. always admired.

 

         For these reasons, I implore you to support the passing of proposal

 1-87 at the next national NCAA conference.

 

 Sincerely yours,

 

 <YOUR NAME>

 <CITY, COUNTRY>

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 16:26:12 -0600 (CST)

From: ***@rainbow.uchicago.edu

Subject: letter5:  International Gymnastic Enthusiast (fwd)

 

Forwarded message:

 

      Ken Ryan has suggested some alterations to letter 5 that may

make it more palatable for some of the members of the international

gymnastics community.  I have included this new version below.

 

      Dr. Charles Martin

      The University of Chicago

     

 

---------------------------------------------------------------- 

  <Dear Mr./Mrs. President/Athletic Director>:

 

 

          As an active and interested member of the international gymnastics

  community, I have always regarded the United States gymnastics program

  as a source of great inspiration.  With its successful mixture of high-caliber

  athletic training and academic excellence, the United States' collegiate

  division has been a guiding light for young, aspiring gymnasts throughout

  the world.  However, today I fear that this heroic legacy is in grave danger.

  

          The National Collegiate Athletics Association will very shortly cut

  all funding to university men's gymnastics programs and eliminate the men's

  national championships competition.  With these decisions, the NCAA will

  not only dash the aspirations of the over 32,000 high school and club gymnasts

  hoping to continue their training in college, but will also seriously injure

  the United States' gymnastics program in general and hence the sport as a

  whole.  For this reason, I strongly urge you, as a representative of your

  university, to vote  "yes" to proposal 1-87 which will extend the moratorium

  on amendment 18.2.10.1 of the NCAA charter.  Only through your concerted

  efforts will this threat to the sport of  gymnastics be quelled.

 

          Gymnasts and commentators around the world have always attributed the

  United States' consistent success in international gymnastics competitions

  to the quality of its training programs and its unbiased selection process.

  Unlike many other countries on the globe, gymnastics is neither

  administrated by state officials nor reserved for the very rich. 

  While the club system has grown in the past ten years, it is still not

  necessary for an aspiring gymnast to leave his home and school life in order

  to find a gym in which to train (all at a great cost to his parents). 

  Rather, the gymnast has been able to pursue his gymnastics career alongside

  his education -- in high school and college.  Many universities

  even offer scholarships to young, intelligent gymnasts, granting them an

  opportunity at higher education they may not have otherwise had.

  The elimination of the NCAA program will have two negative results to

  this democratic process: 

 

          1) it will transform gymnastics into an elite sport which will

  prove to be neither racially nor ethnically diverse;

 

          2) it will force many scholar/athletes to make a choice between a

  college education and a gymnastics career.  The result will be a severe

  reduction in the talent pool of potential gymnasts and the further demise

  of United States gymnastics as a whole.

 

          I tremble at the impact such a decision will have on the

  international image of the United States.  A country which prides itself

  on the values of free choice and equal opportunity will now be seen as

  selling out its ideals to corporate/fiscal interests.  The NCAA would prefer

  to support high-revenue earning sports such as football and basketball.

  As such, instead of fulfilling its call for excellence in mind, body, and

  spirit, it propounds the value of the dollar.  Were this to be publicized

  globally, the international uproar would be unprecedented.  American

  universities would be seen for what they may indeed be becoming,

  toadying puppets for the accumulation of capital.  I would hate to see

  this occur to an educational system I have. always admired.

 

          For these reasons, I implore you to support the passing of proposal

  1-87 at the next national NCAA conference.

 

  Sincerely yours,

 

<YOUR NAME>

<YOUR ADDRESS>

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 15:28:43 +0600

From: ***@scoter.cdev.com

Subject: Minor changes to December Calendar

 

Here are a couple of changes to the calendar based on comments I received.

(Unix weenies will recognize the "diff" output. :)

--John

 

scoter% diff gymn.cal gymn.cal.new

29a30   (Added - i.e. Schedule Change, per the NBC area on AOL)

> 17              BROADCAST Dortmund World Champs/ NBC, 1:30-3:30 EST

31d31   (Deleted)

< 31              BROADCAST Dortmund World Champs/ NBC, TBA EST

147c147 (Changed)

< 9-15            10th World Gymnaestrada/ Frankfurt, Germany

---

> 9-15            10th World Gymnaestrada/ Berlin, Germany

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 16:38:14 +0600

From: ***@scoter.cdev.com

Subject: Minor changes to December Calendar

 

> Date: Wed, 07 Dec 1994 15:06:52 -0700 (MST)

> From: <<< someone who politely noted that my message >>>

        <<< was lucidity-impaired >>>

> Subject: Re: Minor changes to December Calendar

>

> Sorry, John, I don't understand the new changes.  WHEN is the Dortmund

> coverage going to be on?

 

> On Wed, 7 Dec 1994, John wrote:

>

>> Here are a couple of changes to the calendar based on comments I received.

>> (Unix weenies will recognize the "diff" output. :)

>> --John

>>

>> scoter% diff gymn.cal gymn.cal.new

 

>> 29a30   (Added - i.e. Schedule Change, per the NBC area on AOL)

>> > 17              BROADCAST Dortmund World Champs/ NBC, 1:30-3:30 EST

 

I received a note that the schedule in the NBC area of America Online

showed that this broadcast would be on December 17.

 

>> 31d31   (Deleted)

>> < 31              BROADCAST Dortmund World Champs/ NBC, TBA EST

 

Either USA Gymnastics magazine or International Gymnast showed this

broadcast being on December 31. Or maybe it was in the schedule I got

from the USA G area on Delphi. Anyway, it has been changed to the 17th.

 

If I send out any more interim changes, I'll try to be less terse. :)

--John

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 22:18:33 -0500

From: ***@aol.com

Subject: Need Trivia Questions-Unexpected Victors

 

I need *your* trivia questions ASAP.  Yes, YOU, the one who says, "I'll send

some next time..."  Now's next time!

 

The topic, in honor of the recent Dortmund Worlds (and especially the Chinese

men), is "Unexpected Victors."  Take it to mean whatever you wish, but send

your questions in pronto.

 

E-mail questions and answers to me at ***@aol.com

 

Mara

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 22:38:16 -0500 (EST)

From: ***@minerva.cis.yale.edu

Subject: New Skills from Brisbane! (from WTC)

 

On Tue, 6 Dec 1994 ***@aol.com wrote:

 

> >8.409

> >The Fontaine: Arabian double-front dismount

>

>

> Does anyone know if Lysenko got the double-front with half-turn named after

> her (or did someone else do it first)?

 

The Code doesn't have anyone's name on that skill.

 

:)

Adriana

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Tue, 06 Dec 1994 21:19:35 -0700 (MST)

From: ***@asu.edu

Subject: New Skills from Brisbane! (from WTC)

 

> >8.409

> >The Fontaine: Arabian double-front dismount

>

>

> Does anyone know if Lysenko got the double-front with half-turn named after

> her (or did someone else do it first)?

 

I don't know who the first person to do the skill was (although a male

gymnast exhibited at '86 Goodwill), but Yulia Kut was doing it back in

'89 while Lyssenko was still dismounting giant-full to double tuck. 

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 02:16:43 -0500 (EST)

From: ***@minerva.cis.yale.edu

Subject: New Skills from Brisbane! (from WTC)

 

> > >8.409

> > >The Fontaine: Arabian double-front dismount

> >

> >

> > Does anyone know if Lysenko got the double-front with half-turn named after

> > her (or did someone else do it first)?

>

> I don't know who the first person to do the skill was (although a male

> gymnast exhibited at '86 Goodwill), but Yulia Kut was doing it back in

> '89 while Lyssenko was still dismounting giant-full to double tuck. 

 

Just a reminder to all that the person who does a skill first does not

necessarily get it named after her/him.  It has to be performed at Worlds

or Olympics, and it has to be performed successfully.

 

:)

Adriana

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 07 Dec 1994 08:43:21 PST

From: ***@electriciti.com

Subject: New Skills from Brisbane! (from WTC)

 

> >>8.409

> >>The Fontaine: Arabian double-front dismount

>

>

>> Does anyone know if Lysenko got the double-front with half-turn named

after

>> her (or did someone else do it first)?

 

>I don't know who the first person to do the skill was (although a male

>gymnast exhibited at '86 Goodwill), but Yulia Kut was doing it back in

>'89 while Lyssenko was still dismounting giant-full to double tuck. 

 

The double front barani-out off bars is called a Mercer, after Great

Britain's Sarah Mercer, their first nifty gymnast (coached by Vladimir

Aksyonov, who gave us Mostepanova and Saadi - his place in heaven is

assured). She probably got the credit in '89 Worlds, where Kut was among

the Soviet alternates (along with Kalinina, Misiutin & Scherbo).

 

It's one of those moves a lot of people began doing around the same time,

and no doubt they swiped it from the Soviet male mentioned above.

 

I'll check the Code today at work and ask Dwight. He has an amazing memory

for stuff like that.

 

Later,

Nancy

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 21:08:37 -0500

From: ***@wam.umd.edu

Subject: New Skills from Brisbane! (from WTC)

 

      > >8.409

      > >The Fontaine: Arabian double-front dismount

      >

      >

      > Does anyone know if Lysenko got the double-front with half-turn named after

      > her (or did someone else do it first)?

     

      The Code doesn't have anyone's name on that skill.

     

      :)

      Adriana

     

 

So could someone tell me what the difference between an Arabian double

front and a double front with a half turn is?

 

thanks!!

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Thu, 08 Dec 94 19:28:55 PST

From: ***@eworld.com

Subject: New Skills from Brisbane! (from WTC)

 

>6.501

>The Mo-Salto: (go Mo!) eagle grip circle swing on HB with salto forward

>tucked over HB to hand on HB in reverse grip (E-element)

 

Ah, yes. Notice, o ye unbelievers in the legitimate place China holds in the

gymnastics firmament, how my own sweet little Hui-lan gently places her name

in the books with not a C element, not a D element, but an E element.

 

And more to come, dears, trust me...

 

David

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Thu, 8 Dec 1994 23:15:07 -0500 (EST)

From: ***@minerva.cis.yale.edu

Subject: New Skills from Brisbane! (from WTC)

 

> >6.501

> >The Mo-Salto: (go Mo!) eagle grip circle swing on HB with salto forward

> >tucked over HB to hand on HB in reverse grip (E-element)

>

> Ah, yes. Notice, o ye unbelievers in the legitimate place China holds in the

> gymnastics firmament, how my own sweet little Hui-lan gently places her name

> in the books with not a C element, not a D element, but an E element.

>

> And more to come, dears, trust me...

>

> David

>

>

 

"Gently" is hardly the word that pops to mind when thinking of Mo's

element... "insanely" is more like it.  :)

 

:)

Adriana

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 09:59:52 -0500

From: ***@wam.umd.edu

Subject: New Skills from Brisbane! (from WTC)

 

the description of some of these new skills on bars go into detail on grips...

can someone give a brief description of the types of grips (reg, inverted,

eagle) and describe what the hand positions are?

 

thanks

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Fri, 9 Dec 94 09:52:08 PST

From: ***@geoworks.com

Subject: New Skills from Brisbane! (from WTC)

 

      I recall writing up a post that described highbar grip types for

the FAQ.  Who's in charge of the FAQ these days?

 

      Dave

 

> the description of some of these new skills on bars go into detail on grips...

> can someone give a brief description of the types of grips (reg, inverted,

> eagle) and describe what the hand positions are?

>

> thanks

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 02:19:19 -0500 (EST)

From: ***@minerva.cis.yale.edu

Subject: shannon fiasco.... (fwd)

 

3rd attempt...

 

:)

Adriana

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Date: Fri, 2 Dec 1994 00:08:28 -0500 (EST)

From: ***@minerva.cis.yale.edu

To: gymn@mit.edu

 

On Thu, 1 Dec 1994 ***@aol.com wrote:

 

> >Could someone provide some clarification on this 'over scoring' of

> shannon's comp bar routine....what is the max one can lose on an'

> extra swing and where whould this have put her score for a max or

> >min reduction...were there any other flaws in the the routine??

 

Just for the sake of trivia (since I don't believe, from what's been

described, that an extra swing was the correct deduction), the deduction

for an extra swing is 0.3.

 

> Shannon was doing a beautiful routine until the last 4 moves (hecht to high

> bar, kip cast to handstand, giant, tucked Comaneci dismount).  She only

 

The dismount is a toe-on front-half, not a Comaneci, which is a toe-on

half twist, back somi.

 

[description of error and of controversy generated thereby deleted]

 

> As a side argument, IMHO Shannon's error was essentially a fall while still

> holding on to the bar, in the same way that a gymnast can say, be way off on

> a move on BB, grab the beam and not actually fall off, but still get deducted

> almost for a fall.

 

The Code has two provisions that could apply to this -- 1) falling on one

or both hands, knees, hips [means butt] or against the apparatus, and 2)

"grasping" the apparatus so as to avoid a fall.  The deduction for the

first is 0.5, and the deduction for the second is 0.3.  Personally, I

think that was a 0.5 fall.  In a way, by hanging she was grasping the

apparatus so as not to fall all the way to the ground, but I think by

that point she had already fallen.  It sure wasn't an extra swing.  You

can't take an extra swing on a toe-on, it just doesn't work.

 

:)

Adriana

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 21:36:36 -0500 (EST)

From: ***@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu

Subject: Shcherbo speaks out!

 

     Here is an almost complete translation of a recent Shcherbo

interview. "Almost" because there were a couple of things he said

that I just didn't understand (too colloquial), so I omitted

them. But it just amounted to a few words, and none of the

"substance" of the interview was affected. The interviewer asked

some rather strange questions, I thought - things about politics

that you NEVER could have asked back in the USSR! Shcherbo is as

outspoken as ever, and I found his answers very funny at times (I

don't know if they were supposed to be...) I also thought it was

amusing that the interviewer was so concerned about Shcherbo's

lawn! (It's so relevant to gymnastics.)

     By the way, I am not being "politically incorrect" by using

"Belorussia" instead of "Belarus." Well okay, I guess I am, but I

used the spellings that Pisarev and Shcherbo used, so I was just

reproducing their political incorrectness. But I guess it's

fitting that in an interview with "Soviet Sports," they would use

"Belorussia" instead of "Belarus"!

 

Beth

 

 

Figaro 'Here,' Figaro 'There': VITALY SHCHERBO: I BOUGHT A HOUSE,

AND I'M GOING TO WRITE A BOOK. (By Sovetsky Sport's correspondent

in Belorussia, Vladimir Pisarev. Sovetsky Sport, Nov. 23, p. 2.

Translation by Beth Squires:) Minsk - Despite the secret wishes

of malicious critics, Vitaly has not yet moved to the States

forever. His wife and daughter are based there, while the famous

papa, after undergoing medical treatment at the Central Institute

for Traumatology and Orthopedics, took a deep breath and,

together with the Belorussian national team, began to train for

the World Team Championships in Germany. However, whether the

great gymnast is "here" or "there," when an opportunity presents

itself, people continue to eagerly appeal to the prestige of his

well-known name.

     Question. - Vitaly, your speech in support of Council of

Ministers Chairman Vyacheslav Kebich on republic radio on the eve

of the recent election for the first President of Belorussia was

intriguing. Was this sincere passion, or were there opportunistic

considerations?

     Answer. - Officials from the Sports Committee - I'm not

going to say their names - asked me to speak. They said that for

me not to have any problems in the future and for all my wishes

to be fulfilled, it was necessary to campaign for Kebich. I

replied that I didn't intend to vote at all, since I don't trust

anyone. But if they wanted, they could teach me what to talk

about.

     Q. - Did they give you a prepared text?

     A. - No, I have a good memory, so I remembered everything.

     Q. - Pardon me for saying so, but doesn't this mean that, in

a certain sense, they bought you off by promising a problem-free

life in exchange?

     A. - If they had bought me off, I would have found such

passionate words! Anything and everything is bought and sold in

our country, you know.

     Q. - What are your personal feelings toward Vyacheslav

Frantsevich [Kebich]?

     A. - None at all; I don't even know him, and I haven't been

his guest even once. But the former Minister of Culture - him I

know. Once he invited me, my wife, Sveta Boginskaya and our

coaches to his house. He congratulated us and gave us nice

presents, even television sets, I think. That I understand - a

man who thinks about those who bring glory to our Belorussian

homeland.

     Q. - But the Prime Minister also presented you with a

foreign car at one time...

     A. - I don't even want to talk about that, everything was so

mixed up and shrouded in mystery. You hear one thing from one

person and something completely different from someone else. It

would have been better if they hadn't given me anything at all,

rather than... That car! I'll buy myself one if I need one.

     Q. - Recently, by presidential decree, the republic's State

Sports Committee was renamed the Committee on Sports and

allegedly made subordinate to the Ministry of Culture and

Information, to which a group of leading athletes and coaches

responded with a letter of protest. Your signature is on it.

     A. - Yes, I deliberately signed the letter. Why should we

share money with the opera and the ballet? Let the performing

artists earn their own money.

     Q. - In short, it turns out that you're an ardent supporter

of the State Sports Committee. But wasn't this the organization

that a few months ago suggested that you and Boginskaya share

your hard-currency earnings with them? You put them in their

place rather harshly.

     A. - That's right, I was harsh. Why do I train, break my

back, undergo many operations, go 3-4 months without seeing my

family, and eat sausage, cheese and yogurt with bread? To give my

hard-earned crumbs to them? After all, gymnastics isn't tennis or

soccer, where the appearance fees are enormous. I agree that

throughout the world athletes give their federations some

percentage, but not the exorbitant amount that was being demanded

of us. That's the first thing. Furthermore, our bureaucrats

forget that over there the athletes' pay is in hard currency, not

Belorussian "bunnies" [slang for the Belorussian currency, which

has a picture of a rabbit on it - Trans.].

     Q. - Tell me, doesn't it bother you in principle that you're

constantly having to sign letters of some sort, defend someone,

or wage "war" - albeit, possibly a just one - with someone?

     A. - I always read the documents that I sign or give them to

my lawyer to look over. Yes, many people appeal to me, and if I

respect the person, why not help?

     Q. - Your daughter was born in America, so she is considered

a citizen of the United States.

     A. - She isn't considered one, she IS one.

     Q. - Let's be frank, does this mean that in some places she

is a freer person than we are?

     A. - Yes, perhaps.

     Q. - How free a person do you feel yourself to be?

     A. - Absolutely free. In interviews with newspapers and

television, I always say what I think. I have nothing to be

afraid of...

     Q. - But deep inside do you still have that Soviet fear of

"them," a fear we absorb with our mother's milk? Fear that you'll

do the slightest thing, and they'll rap you on the knuckles,

refuse to let you out, refuse to give you something, or take

something away, and so it's better to lay low?

     A. - They no longer take things away or rap you on the

knuckles; their time has passed. Furthermore, whether they like

it or not, I'm a famous person and, if necessary, I could create

such a scandal that it would come out the worse for a lot of

people.

     Q. - You have said many times that you don't intend to

change your citizenship and you will continue to defend the honor

of Belorussia in all competitions. Have you changed your mind?

     A. - No. Even if I take US citizenship 10-15 years from now,

it will only be to have the opportunity to travel around the

world normally. So those people who are beginning to worry don't

need to worry - I'm not going to secretly defect, like some

people.

     Q. - Where do your wife, Irina, and your daughter live right

now?

     A. - In State College, Pennsylvania. I bought a house there.

     Q. - Wonderful! Is it big?

     A. - It's big. Three stories, with a fruit garden, a

fireplace and a two-car garage. The mountains, the woods, and a

river are not far away. In short, it's very beautiful.

     Q. - Who takes care of the trees and the lawn?

     A. - We hire a gardener. He comes twice a week, mows the

lawn, sprays it with a special solution so it will be greener,

and so forth. Everyone does that there.

     Q. - In America are you bound by any kind of obligations,

say, regarding exhibitions?

     A. - Yes, I have a couple of contracts and some things I

must do. But they pay me money for it.

     Q. - Do you go a long time without seeing your family?

     A. - Naturally. The last time we saw each other was more

than a month ago.

     Q. - Is Kristina talking yet?

     A. - She babbles. She's even gradually starting to say

things in English.

     Q. - When is the last time you had a real rest?

     A. - I recently underwent two operations at the Central

Institute for Traumatology and Orthopedics. After that, I wound

up with a two-month vacation, as it were. I didn't even set foot

in the gym.

     Q. - How did you spend it?

     A. - With my family in America. I did some business and

bought the house.

     Q. - Tell me, why were you treated in Moscow and not the

States? Would it have cost a fortune?

     A. - That too. Although I have insurance, so everything

would have been paid for. [Note - This directly contradicts what

Shcherbo told us - in English - during an interview in Dortmund.

At that time he said he had no insurance in the US. Susan, Joe -

correct me if I'm wrong here!]. But most importantly, CITO has

doctors with the highest qualifications whom I've known since

childhood, when I was just starting out on the USSR national

team. They have treated me many times, and, like now, I've always

been back in commission quickly.

     And there was this incident in the USA. They did a

computerized examination of my shoulder and didn't discover the

slightest thing wrong. But when they looked at me at CITO, they

opened up the shoulder and the operation lasted an hour and a

half - everything was damaged and torn up, the ligaments, etc. It

was some sort of nightmare. In the last five months I've had 75

injections of painkillers.

     In general, the doctors did everything that was necessary,

cleaned it up, and sewed me up. Now I feel fine. But if the

Americans had found anything wrong and done surgery, then I

probably would have been recovering for another six months.

     Q. - So our doctors are better?

     A. - I'd say so!

     Q. - Are you in decent shape now?

     A. - I'd even say I'm in very good shape. I think that I'll

soon begin to win again and show who's the strongest in the

world.

     Q. - Have you learned any new combinations or elements

recently?

     A. - Yes, I have prepared a couple of surprises. I invented

one element on the high bar myself; no one has ever done it

before. It's a release move like you've never seen before. In

training I kept flying off and falling until suddenly, in one

wonderful instant, I got it.

     Q. - Have you stopped doing karate?

     A. - Whenever possible, I try to remember some of it with my

friends. I had more free time in America, so I began to learn the

art of self-defense.

     Q. - Vitalik [not a typo! This is one of many diminutive

forms of Vitaly], if you thought about writing a book about your

life...

     A. - I'm definitely going to write one.

     Q. - ... what would you start out with?

     A. - With my most dramatic childhood memory - how my mother

and father got divorced. It was then that I realized that my

mother and I could not survive on her salary, and I began to take

a really serious attitude toward sports. Very little alimony came

in. And I wanted to be a man, the supporter, the breadwinner.

 

[End of interview]

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 21:44:10 -0500

From: ***@aol.com

Subject: Sullivan Award fan voting

 

It's the time of year for consideration of the AAU Sullivan Award for "the

premier amateur athelete in the US for 1994."  USA Today is doing a telephone

poll which apparently will play some sort of role in deciding the ten

finalists.  The Sullivan Award winner will then be picked by the AAU from the

group of finalists. 

 

For those interested in voting, the number is 800-558-9109.  There are 26

athletes on the list, including 2 gymnasts, Dominique Dawes (Code #14) and

Shannon Miller (Code #26). 

Shockingly radical choices, I know <g>.  You can vote for up to 5 athletes.

 The complete list appeared in Wednesday's USA Today, and should also appear

Thursday and Friday.

 

Mara

 

------------------------------

 

Date: Wed, 07 Dec 94 09:04:29 -0500

From: ***@perfit.ZKO.DEC.Com

Subject: UMASS gymnastics open results

 

>This weekend Umass held its annual gymnatics open.

> 

>Rachele and I had the pleasure of working at this meet - the competion was

>very good.

 

Figures...  I finally get a chance to meet fellow gymners, but I couldn't make

it out to the meet this past weekend.  Did Ruslan Shupack of UMass do his

handspring double front vault?  From the vaulting scores, if he did, he didn't

stand it up.  Although I'm not sure that I want him to successfully land it,

because when he does, my 14 year old school vaulting record is down the

toilet :)

 

Steve

UMass '81

 

------------------------------

 

End of gymn Digest

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