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FIG grants neutral status to head coach of Russian rhythmic gymnastics team Sergayeva

Tatiana Sergayeva worked as the head coach of the Russian national team in group exercises and has been also awarded the Order of Friendship

MOSCOW, August 12. /TASS/. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has granted neutral status to the head coach of the Russian national rhythmic gymnastics team, Tatiana Sergayeva, the federation stated on its official website on Tuesday.

She was appointed to the post of the rhythmic gymnastics national team’s head coach on February 22. In April, Sergayeva told TASS that she had submitted a request for the neutral status in order to participate in FIG sanctioned tournaments.

Sergayeva, 55, is Russia’s merited coach, participated in training of Olympic champions Anastasia Bliznyuk, Anastasia Maksimova, Anastasia Tatareva and Maria Tolkachyova, World and European champions Diana Borisova and Yekaterina Malygina.

She worked as the head coach of the Russian national team in group exercises and has been also awarded the Order of Friendship.

In March 2022, the FIG suspended Russian and Belarusian gymnastics from its tournaments due to the conflict in Ukraine. Later, the international federation eased the sanctions, allowing the two countries’ athletes to compete as neutrals; however, they remained barred from team events.

On April 5, the Russian Gymnastics Federation stated that the country’s athletes would not participate in the upcoming FIG competitions despite being granted neutral status. The decision stemmed from numerous unfounded and biased refusals to grant neutral status to athletes.

In early June, the Russian Gymnastics Federation announced in a statement that Russian gymnasts and judges would take part in international competitions as neutral participants.

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