We will not see the “full-time”, perfect competitors of the world lead from Russia. Careless Irina Gladkaya (last year’s vice-champion of 65kg left and right arm class) and Her friend Ekaterina Larina (last year’s champion of 60kg left and right arm class) lost their chance for a medal in Gdansk. But do not be afraid, it won’t be easier and more loosely in their classes. There will be other Russian competitors who will come instead of them, even more win-starved as they will have to prove that their participation is not just a lucky (for them) coincidence but a real sports matter.

How was that with the mentioned carelessness of Irina and Ekaterina? Let’s start with the calendar of the events of 2012.

Qualification for the Russian National Team has always been due to the participation and winning of the Russian Championships. Each year an important, international Armwrestling tournament for women called World Challenge takes place in Sweden. It takes place on the 8th of March to stress the International Women’s Day. Additionally in the USA, on 1st-4th March Arnold Sports Festival takes place and during it another prestigious Armwrestling tournament.

What did the would-be participants of the European Championships 2012 choose? They chose the start in Sweden. It was not a successful start for neither of the competitors. They did not appear at the Russian Championships taking place on 9th-10th March this year. Russian Armsport Association, which President is Aleksander Filimonov could have agreed for the start of the competitors in other than national championship tournament, but only if it had been agreed earlier. Yet neither Irina nor Ekaterina informed no one of their resignation of the start in national championships. And the association could not agree to that!

Igor Mazurenko was at the tournaments in Sweden and talked to both of the competitors and none of them told him that they did not complete all the formalities.

So it looks as Gladkaya and Larina lost a lot due to their attitude to the formal and elegant going about their business. Not only they will not take part in EUROARM, but also we will not see them at the NEMIROFF WORLD CUP 2012

Aleksander Filimonov who is the boss of the structure composed of thousands of competitors form the whole Russia. As he said in an interview with our editors: -“There cannot be any exceptions even for the best!”.

EUROARM 2012 in Gdansk looks record in respect of the line-up. As of yet (the 12th March) we have already 250 competitors from 9 countries registered.

More in the next news.