Official Websites Closed

(Click here to visit a link of the Archived version of the website)

To all Russia Gymnastics Fans:

Unfortunately for reasons beyond our control, we have been forced to temporarily close the Official websites for the Russian athletes on the National Team. However, we will begin working with other organizations within the Russian Federation to change the practices and administration of the Official Websites to ensure that these websites will effectively contribute to the development of Physical Culture and Sport in the Russian Federation.

As reported earlier, The Ministry of Sport recieved our package and has responded to our request. Special thanks to the Ministry of Sport, the letters from fans were delivered to Aliya and Vika.

Since then, a meeting was held with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to discuss the issues currenly existing with the development of sports in Russia. In attendance were members of a council responsible for the development of sport. Such members included of course Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko and VTB Chairman Andrei Kostin.

The President expressed the importance of active promotion of sports and designated this as a priority for all council members. Through the active promotion of sport, millions of Russian citizens, notably the youth, will be presented with opportunities to promote healthy and active lifestyles. Through educational programs and projects, which Russia is presently suffering from a shortage of, citizens can learn about the various athletic programs available in Russia and become actively involved in sport.

The president expressed the importance of boosting moral fortitude and patriotism at home, and to strengthen Russia's prestige worldwide.

As we now focus on the websites, they serve to grow the prestige of Russia to fans of Gymnastics worldwide. More importantly, as a resource for aspiring athletes in Russia that look up to the gymnasts as rolemodels, their websites serve the goals of the Council by growing patriotism. The moral fortitude of youth in russia grows as they learn about the moral character of the gymnasts, whom serve as rolemodels to all young Russians.

Even further, the websites serve to act as a gateway to promote interest in Artistic Gymnastics in Russia. The President rightly expressed a concern over the role of the media due to their unwillingness to produce programs to develop interest in sports. Fortunately, the websites serve as an alternative source to promote interest in Artistic Gymnastics.

Our long term goal is not only to maintain a website that educates Russians about the athletes and their accomplishments, but to also be an engaging resource for visitors to learn about the sport in order to promote interest in Artistic Gymnastics. We additionally believe we can serve as a resource for local and regional gymnastics clubs to post materials of relevance for visitors to increase interest in their regional clubs.

However, before we can open the websites again to accomplish the goals outlined by the President, we must secure the neccesary support of the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sport to resolve all of the matters which are preventing us from restoring our websites online.

We ask for patience and your continued support while we work to resolve these matters!

In the meantime, an archive of the website is still available online. It's not presently updated, but you can click the link below to visit the archived version.

(Click here to visit a link of the Archived version of the website)

Respecfully signed,

Charles Alan Owen
Webmaster of the Gymnast Websites