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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
Russia's approach to coaching young athletes is brutal compared to what most people are familiar with in the U.S.  You are absolutely correct: there is always another skater waiting to take the place of someone who doesn't want to deal with the pressure and abuse of the training "system".  The coaches clearly don't see anything problematic with their behavior.

I would recommend the 2017 documentary "Over The Limit" (not sure if anyone has in previous posts).  It follows the eventual 2016 gold medalist in rhythmic gymnastics, Margarita Mamun.  Her individual coach would set most parents here on edge, but she has nothing on Irina Viner who is the Head Coach of Russia's rhythmic gymnastics.  She is absolutely atrocious!  Really, one of the most awful displays of human behavior I've ever seen.  But she's married to one of Russia's richest men.  No poor young talent selected to train at the highest level is going to do anything other than exactly what they're told to do.  It really is tragic. [/quote]

Viner comes across as brutal in this film, that's true.  [b]What's surprising is that most of her alumni gymnasts, to a woman, are incredibly devoted to her even in adulthood.  [/b]I mean say what you like about her methods, they are certainly appalling.  Yet, the kids love her.  She was asked, post the movie, why she never yells or berates Yana Kudryavtseva, Rita's training partner.  She said, simply, Yana didn't ever need me to yell at her.  She did her job.   Rita was the one who was an artiste, not a competitor, and she needed regular kicks in the ass to show her greatness.  Yana, in the meantime, always had an iron will to win, and therefore required zero kicks.

It's true that Viner has unfettered access to Gazprom money.  But, look at it from this point of view: instead of spending it on boats and diamonds like other oligarch wives, she took that money and built a world-class training facility.  I mean it's not like she has to work, you know.

Viner reminds me of Tatiana Tarasova, who is also very tough but beloved as a mother figure.  Who knows. It's a mystery to me but I'm not an olympic athlete.[/quote]

I don't think this is an uncommon phenomenon. I am sure there is a psychological label for it other than Stockholm Syndrome, but it's an apt comparison. I wasn't involved in an elite sport but was in our high school marching band, which, in our area, was a big deal, very competitive, etc. Our director was an absolute tyrant. Screaming, cursing, throwing things at us. Made you run laps if you were late.

We went on a trip once where the plane I was on (we were on three different planes) was seriously delayed and then we got lost getting to the hotel. We had not eaten for like 8 hours and tried to grab some pizza on the way to practice - in the pitch dark and cold. He flew into a rage, would not listen to any explanation, kept us out there for two hours and then we were sent to go to bed with no dinner. Yeah, it's not like being physically pushed to your limit day after day for years, but my point is that we all could have quit at any time, probably told our parents what was going on, but WE ALL STAYED. We wanted to be the best and were willing to put up with whatever it took to do that.

That director is dead now, but I am still in touch with my bandmates, and to a person, they talk about how much they loved him and how lucky they felt to be in the band.[/quote]

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