The Olympic rhythmic gymnastics competition in Tokyo has become a complete failure and shame, All-Russia Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation President and head coach of the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team Irina Viner-Usmanova told TASS.
For the first time since 1996, Russian athletes did not win the Olympic gold in the rhythmic gymnastics. Overall, the Russians lodged six protests over individual and group all-around events with two of them satisfied.
"The execution of the rhythmic gymnastics competitions at the Olympic Games is a complete failure, there are more protests than there are teams. It is a shame, simply a shame. Shame on judges that were selected. Not those who have the experience were selected but those who were noticed somewhere and got invited," she said.
The coach noted that the judges at the Tokyo Olympics lack the necessary experience to work at the competitions of this level. "The judges are people without experience and the [technical] committee also [consists of] those who either work at institutions or are involved in organizing. I think that this is a major failure in the rhythmic gymnastics at the Olympic Games. In London, in Rio de Janeiro, there indeed were the competitions, and here I am at a loss for words," she added.
