Russia is one of the largest sports powers on the planet and there are hundreds of elite athletes, in all disciplines, who may be affected by the sanctions imposed on them by international federations, at the request of the IOC.
The world number one in tennis, Daniil Medvedev, just proclaimed Olympic figure skating champion Anna Stxerbakovagoing through gymnasts, athletes, swimmers and national football, basketball, volleyball and water polo teams, Russia has top athletes in almost every discipline.
His exclusion from international competitions, in retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is in addition to the two-year sanction for not participating with his flag and anthem, which he is already serving as a result of irregularities in his anti-doping policy and ending at the end of 2022.
After the last Summer and Winter Olympics held in just seven months due to the pandemic, Russia is the second country in the world with the number of medals, 103 (71 in Tokyo and 32 in Beijing), tied with China, and is the fourth with gold medals won, 26 (20 + 6).
Here are some of the big stars in Russian sports today:
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Daniel Medvedev, leader of the ATP and in favor of peace
For the first time since 2004, this Monday he became the world’s number one tennis player outside the so-called ‘Big Four’ that make up Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal i Andy Murray.
Daniil Medvedev At the age of 26, he achieved his childhood dream of reaching the top of the ATP rankings and did so with a record of 13 tournaments won, including one Grand Slam (US Open 2021), four Masters 1000 and the 2020 ATP finals.
The Muscovite tennis player posted a message on his networks this weekend calling for “peace in the world, peace between countries” on behalf of the world’s children.
In the same way he positioned himself Andrei Rublev, the sixth racket in the world. After winning the Dubai tournament, he wrote on the camera where the winners sign “No war, please”. “Now it’s not about tennis, it’s not about sports, it’s about having peace around the world. We need to support each other, “he said at a recent press conference.
The ATP has not yet ruled on the participation of Russian players in its tournaments, including the next on the calendar is that of Indian Wells, starting March 10, with Medvedev and Rublev among the entrants.
National football teams and clubs, in a year of World Cup and European Championship
In one year of the Men’s World Cup and the Women’s European Championship, the Russian national football teams will be excluded from the two competitions if there are no changes in the sanctions agreed by FIFA and UEFA “until further notice”.
The men’s team should have played the semi-finals of the qualifying round for Qatar 2022 on March 24 against Poland. The women’s team had already qualified for the European Championship in England since July and was immersed in the qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
In addition, theSpartak of Moscow was qualified for the round of 16 of the Europa League, which will no longer be played.
Anna Sterberbova, world and Olympic champion
At 17, Anna Stxerbakova already adds the world figure skating title, won in 2021, and the Olympic, won a few days ago in Beijing.
The next World Championships will start on March 21 in Montpellier (France) and the International Skating Union has already left Russia out of all its competitions.
The ‘averines’, twins on top of everything
Dina is Arina Averinaperfect twins with 36 world medals in rhythmic gymnastics (21 and 15, respectively), ended in 2021 with a bitter aftertaste of not taking home either of the two Olympic golds that would have crowned a glorious cycle.
The European Championships will be held in Tel Aviv in June and the World Championships in Sofia in September, perhaps in time for the lifting of sanctions related to the war.
Maria Lasitskene, three-time world champion
Triple world high jump champion, Maria Lasitskene is one of 22 Russian athletes who can compete internationally as neutral, without being affected by anti-doping sanctions, to meet demanding eligibility criteria.
World Athletics maintains the suspension to all the Russian selection, except the mentioned exceptions.
But one sanction falls on the other: Lasitskene, also an Olympic champion, she had to compete this Wednesday at the Madrid meeting of the world indoor track circuit and has already dropped from the list of entrants.
Yevgeny Rilov, the great back swimmer
One of the best in Europe since 2018, Ievgueni Rilov he established himself as the Russian swimmer of the time in the Tokyo Games with the two Olympic golds in 100 and 200 backstroke, plus a silver in the 4×200 freestyle relay. He was the first Russian Olympic champion swimmer in 25 years. He is also the double world and European double hectometer champion and holds the continental record.
There will be a World Swimming Championships in June in Budapest and a European Championships in Rome in August. FINA allows Russian swimmers to compete as neutrals, without a flag, anthem or any symbol that identifies them with their country.
Zenit, CSKA and Unics Kazan, in the top ten of the Euroleague
The three basketball clubs excluded from the men’s Euroleague basketball, Zenit St. Petersburg, CSKA Moscow and Unics Kazan, were in the top ten this season. The best ranked was Zenit, fifth with 14 wins and 9 losses, and is coached by the former Barça player. Javier Pascual.
Last season CSKA qualified for the ‘final four’, in which they finished last.
Vlasov, winner of the Tour of the Valencian Country
The victory in the Tour of the Valencian Country, which took place this February, had a Russian stamp, that of the runner Aleksandr Vlasovfrom the Bora Hansgrohe team.
At the age of 25, from Astana and signed by the German team to compete in the big laps, he is currently the best Pro Tour cyclist. In 2021 he was second in Paris-Nice, third in Lombardy and fourth in the Giro. At the moment, he is enrolled in the Paris-Nice this Sunday as the leader of the ranks.
Pàvel Sivakov, Born in Italy 24 years ago but of Russian nationality, she is one of the great hopes of cycling in her country. He burst onto the professional scene in 2019 by winning the Tour of Poland and the Tour of the Alps and being ninth in the Giro. He declared himself “totally against the war” and called for “the Russians not to be hated.”
The Russian cycling team Gazprom it does not have the highest Pro Tour category, but the Pro Team does.
Nikita Nagorni, the complete gymnast
He reached the Tokyo Games as world gymnastics champion and, although in the individual competition he had to settle for bronze, Nikita Nagorni led Russia to the team Olympic title, which it had not won for 25 years.
Russia’s dominance in the team competition was total, as the women also won gold, with Angelina Melnikova also individual bronze.
His big dates this year, pending sanctions, should be the European Championships in August in Munich and the World Championships in Liverpool in October.
