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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