Without Russia, what is the gymnastics scenario in Paris 2024?

The qualification processes for the Olympic Games in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics have ended. The international sports community is faced with a historic and significant fact: there will be no Russian representatives in Paris 2024. This news, which has shaken the world of gymnastics, marks a change in the usual competitive logic and leaves a notable gap in the sport’s most prestigious event.

The decision to exclude Russian gymnasts is framed in a context of international and political sanctions for the invasion of Ukraine. Since March 2022, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that International Federations exclude Russia, Olympic qualification processes have been affected. These measures have provoked mixed - and valid - reactions, dividing opinions between those who support a strict stance and those who advocate the opportunity to compete for individual athletes not involved in supporting the war.

The truth is that without participating in the 2022 or 2023 World Cups, the chances of qualifying by team were the first to be diluted. Later, when the International Federation (FIG) opened the doors to gymnasts to compete individually as neutrals under strict requirements, Russia’s decision was not to accept the conditions. The dates of the World Cups and the continental championships passed and the list of participants for Paris 2024 was confirmed. There is no Russian representative.

Faced with the pain and cruelty of war for a moment, it must be said that the absence of these athletes not only affects direct competition for medals, but also has implications for the quality of the sporting spectacle. Over the years, Russian teams and gymnasts have been the protagonists of memorable moments and exhibitions of the highest technical and artistic quality, contributing to the prestige and excitement of the Olympic Games. A quick review of the last Olympic editions confirms this.

In women’s artistic gymnastics, Tokyo 2020 had Angelina Melnikova as a great figure in a young team, which was able to win the Olympic team title when a possibility opened up the day that the American Simone Biles left the competition. Also in those pandemic Games, they managed to get on the podium all around, parallel and on the ground. In addition, Russia has been a medalist in the women’s team event in the last three Olympic Games. His absence will open the door to a historic result for countries such as France, Italy or Brazil.

The device where the absence will be most noticeable will be in asymmetric parallels. After Aliya Mustafina’s two-time Olympic championships in London 2012 and Rio 2016, the legacy continued with a silver medal from Anastasiia Iliankova in Tokyo 2020. For Paris 2024, with China’s Qiu Qiyuan and Algerian Kaylia Nemour as favorites, there is a third step of the podium that could open the door to a diverse group of competitors, including Simone Biles (she doesn’t clearly position her as a medalist, but it brings her closer considering that the finals are open to failure). The North American has won medals in all events, except in asymmetric parallels, an apparatus historically dominated by European and Chinese.

In men’s artistic gymnastics, there was a Russian presence on half of the Tokyo 2020 podiums. Of the eight events, the team led by Nikita Nagorny won team medals, in all around, in jumping and in fixed bar. The dispute with Japan and China had become very attractive and unpredictable, something that will undoubtedly be missed in Paris 2024. As with girls, the stage opens up for a step of the podium that can be occupied by countries such as Great Britain or the United States.

Rhythmic gymnastics is, perhaps, with synchronized swimming, the discipline that Russia has mastered the most since its incorporation into the Olympic program in Los Angeles 1984. It is true that at that premiere and because of the Cold War, the communist bloc boycotted the Olympic Games because they were held in the United States. The first Olympic champion was then Canadian Lori Fung and there was no Soviet presence on that podium. Since Seoul 1988, there has always been a Russian or a Russian team in the first three places of the Olympic Games. There were nine consecutive editions with Russian medalists. He even chained a string of gold singles between Sydney 2000 and Rio 2016 with Julia Barsukova, Alina Kabaeva, Eugenia Kanaeva in duplicate and Margarita Mamum.

With Russia out of the equation, other nations have an opportunity to stand out and fill the gap. This could lead to a diversification of the podiums and an increase in competitiveness among other countries. Hopefully these emerging flags surprise us and make us experience emotions, but it is hypocritical to deny that we will miss a gymnastics style that was key to building the history of this beautiful sport.