Russian gymnastics icon responds after being banned from EU country
Famed Russian rhythmic gymnastics coach Irina Viner-Usmanova has reacted with casual disdain after being banned from entering Latvia.
Viner-Usmanova, 73, was one of a quartet of figures included on a new sanctions list announced by Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics on Monday, May 9.
The others barred from entering Latvia “indefinitely” amid the Russian military operation in Ukraine are extravagant pop icon Filip Kirkorov and comedians Vladimir Vinokur and Yevgeny Petrosyan.
The Uzbek-born Viner-Usmanova, however, appeared entirely unbothered by the step.
“No comment. You’d be better off asking Filip Kirkorov,” said the coaching veteran to RIA, adding a phrase roughly translating as “I couldn’t give a damn.”
Viner-Usmanova is one of her country’s most revered trainers and has coached an array of Russian rhythmic gymnastics stars to Olympic glory down the years.
She has had the Silver Olympic Order bestowed upon her as well as a host of national awards, and has a vast sports center named after her at Moscow’s Luzhniki complex.
The head of the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, Viner-Usmanova has been critical of the bans imposed on Russian athletes since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine.
She has nonetheless said Russian athletes could nonetheless stand to benefit as they compete in alternative events.
“We are very pleased to some extent that we were deprived of competitions, because our sport always develops higher, faster, and stronger,” said the iconic coach back in April, according to RBC.
“That has always been the case. In football without any foreign players, and in gymnastics.
“And many began to place obstacles for us at international competitions, which it’s very difficult to pass through, and sport suffers because of this.
“This type of sport loses its relevance and will lose it completely if this continues.”
Viner-Usmanova is married to Uzbek-born Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who has been sanctioned by the UK, EU and US in recent weeks.
