Olympic champion Melnikova speaks about visa delays for Russian gymnasts in the Netherlands

The Russian artistic gymnastics team faced significant administrative obstacles ahead of the start of the World Championships in the Netherlands. Olympic champion Angelina Melnikova publicly confirmed that she had not received the visa required to participate in the tournament. She was joined in waiting for entry permission by two other athletes from the team — Kolmikova and Stunova.

Psychological pressure and loss of competitive form

According to Melnikova, other participants received their documents the day before, while the passports of the three Russian gymnasts continued to be delayed. This uncertainty led to intense psychological pressure, which affected the athlete's physical condition. Melnikova said that due to the tension, she failed to complete her training at her usual level: after performing three exercises, she had no strength left for the fourth. In a conversation with her coaches, she attributed these difficulties to a lack of proper psychological mindset.

Criticism of mixing sport and politics

The gymnast expressed dissatisfaction with the restrictions, which she believes are a consequence of combining sporting and political aspects. "For me, sport is the only platform where you can win truly fairly," Melnikova noted. She emphasised that the result in competitions should be determined solely by the quality of preparation and the athlete's work.

Melnikova was particularly outraged by the fact that the Russian team had officially qualified for the World Championships through the European Championships. The athlete stressed that the team had earned the right to compete in the tournament, but encountered bureaucratic obstacles during the document processing.

"Inhuman treatment" and tears at the press conference

"It is simply some kind of inhuman treatment, in my opinion," Melnikova stated. She added that the visa delays demoralise the team, as the rest of the participants have already arrived at the venue and begun training camps.

"I want everything to be fair, just, and for you to be respected as a team, one of the strongest teams in the world in artistic gymnastics," the athlete emphasised.

Concluding her speech, Melnikova was in tears. She admitted that due to such treatment of the athletes, she had lost the desire to go to the World Championships, even if the visas are eventually issued. "You don't even want to go yourself because of how they torment you. What is the point in that?" Melnikova said, reminding that other competitors are already on site and preparing for the start.

Sports dossier and political activity

Angelina Melnikova is the most decorated active Russian gymnast. Her record includes four Olympic medals (one gold) and 11 World Championship awards, three of which are of the highest category. In the history of Russian artistic gymnastics since 1991, she is surpassed in the number of titles only by retired athletes Svetlana Khorkina and Aliya Mustafina. Both athletes won seven Olympic medals each (two gold each). At the World Championships, Khorkina won 20 awards (nine gold), while Mustafina won 12 medals (three gold).

In addition to her sporting achievements, Melnikova has been in the spotlight due to her political activities in Russia. The gymnast participated in the primaries of the "United Russia" party and appeared in politicised advertising.