Dmitry Medvedev is not happy about Russia’s Winter Olympics performance:
Those in charge of preparing Russian athletes for the Vancouver games “should take the brave decision and submit their resignations,” he said.
“If they cannot do it, we will help them,” Mr Medvedev added.
Russia – traditionally a winter sports powerhouse – ended 11th in the medals table, with just three golds.
“For a long time we have benefited from Soviet achievements, at some point they ran out,” President Medvedev said at a meeting of the governing United Russia party on Monday.
Here’s an excerpt from a former Soviet coach’s description of the Soviet system:
“The idea that was the younger generation had to be fit enough to protect the motherland, so a nationwide system of physical education was implemented,” he said. “But to a degree it was also a propaganda tool … one of the goals was to prove the superiority of the Soviet approach, social life and so on, and show that Russia would not settle for second place.”
Though the new system did benefit the Russian sports scene by allowing all children an opportunity to play competitive sports at no cost, a mandate was set among coaches and players on national teams — start producing positive results or face severe consequences.
“There was a lot of pressure on coach and athlete,” Beliaev said. “The Ministry of Sport would prepare a forecast of how many medals each team should win at the Olympics, and if a coach didn’t meet that benchmark, in most cases, it meant losing his job.”
Not exactly the Olympic Ideal.
[ threadjack ]
Have you seen this? The final four minutes of Flight 447.
[ /threadjack ]
Like its important who skates, skis fastest.
Okay, so where is the YouTube version of Dmitry doing the Downfall rant on Russia’s Olympic performance?
Sounds like he’s warming up to cut his own original in Russian. Anyone care to try their hand?
Don’t forget that Soviet athletes trained year-round. They had access to facilities on every military base in the USSR, because they were *in* the military, at least nominally, and a significant portion of them were Spetznaz.
At least Medvedev isn’t following Saddam’s example of executing the losing athletes and their coaches…
Too, weren’t a good number of Soviet athletes from countries other than Russia? So when the USSR broke up, the athletes then just competed under their home countries’ flags?
*ding*
Like most of the hockey players…
w/r, SJS
Oh, by the way, did you hear that the IOC has awarded the men’s gold medal in downhill skiing to President Obama? It seems that they found that no one has gone downhill faster than him this year.
Dmitry must be really worried about the Sochi games in 2014. It would not look good for the home team to do poorly.
Oh sweet Lord, it’s ROCKY IV all over again!!
Basement of the Lubyanka, Tiled room with drain in corner. Don’t turn around…
They should be glad that Stalin wasn’t around to send the cordial memo to Beria.
I find this shameful. So they don’t rule the roost anymore. One of their supposed superstars shows himself to be a spoiled, arrogant little man because he didn’t win gold. These athletes still won medals that many younger, up-and-coming athletes the world over dream of every night. All Olympic athletes – from any country – are role models to the younger people in their discipline.
The words of Medvedev and others in that country only reveal the avarice and ungraciousness that drives them – not their commitment to a particular sport.