Marat Bariev: ‘If the very Paralympic Committee acts so, it must be closed’

How 'passengers' and 'tourists' upholded the honour of the country

Marat Bariev told the results of the Olympiad were quite successful in both general and the national team of Russia that 'competed, did not break down'.

'As for the athletes, first of all, you saw yourself that even some coaches failed <…> All people went to achieve the best results. As one of the coaches told during the Olympiad, it seems that there were not any 'passengers' and 'tourists' because of fear <…> Fencers got four gold medals. Probably even Alisher Usmanov did not expect it,' the deputy told.

Bariev called the gold medal that our women's handball team won an unexpected surprise. He noted that the stake was on men's volleyball team among team sports. Bariev also was glad about the bronze that women's water polo team won. He reminded the Russian team has not got medals in these sports since the last century and added that one of the coaches of the national team Andrey Belofastov is a player of the Kazan Sintez.

Bariev also commented a severe criticism towards athletes from certain coaches and head of sports federations. 'Undoubtedly, I understand that sometimes it difficult to control emotions after such a 6-month pressure, the heads carry the main psychological load. But such behaviour is not allowed. To evaluate during the Games by calling athletes 'tourists' and 'passengers'… If you don't agree, you should not have included them in the team, they would not have gone. And to speak about it during the competitions… Indubitably, it is clear the moral climate in this team is bad. Everybody feels it, including rivals and referees even in an even bout: this person will be protected, don't touch him, while this athlete will be pushed out,' Bariev noted.

Now everybody needs to speak out, define the degree of guilt and only then take a decision, Bariev resumed.

To evaluate during the Games by calling athletes 'tourists' and 'passengers'… If you don't agree, you should not have included them in the team, they would not have gone. And to speak about it during the competitions…

'It is an omission and mistake of a federation'

Tatarstan athletes have not won medals at these Games. According to Bariev, first of all, shooter Vasily Mosin and men's volleyball team were expected to win medals (made of another metal, if not gold). But it did not happen. But young players had great experience. The guest of the editorial noted they could have performed better in good circumstances, but they haven't.

Bariev also commented the situation of the Tatarstan cyclist Ilnur Zakarin. He was allowed to take part in the Olympiad on the eve of the competitions, but he was not in Rio, he was not ready for the competitions physically.

It is an omission and mistake of a federation. Let's imagine Yefimova was not allowed, but she was in Rio, acclimatised and was waiting for a decision, and look what happened. Why did not they send him [Zakarin] to Rio?' Bariev complained.

Readers asked Marat Bariev what influence the creation of the Volga Region State Academy of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism has on the formation of the national team of Russia. 'It has no influence at the moment,' Bariev briefly noted.

If they make a decision under some political or another influence, the sound content of the Paralympic Committee is debatable

Exclusion of paralympians is a political decision

We could not help but mention the exclusion of para-athletes. Expressing his opinion, he said: 'Everybody has assessed, even Donald Trump, a candidate for the U.S. President, told yesterday that not disabled people but those who made this decision are those people who were not allowed to go the Olympics. He said it in his speech.'

Sport is a distraction of almost of all paralympians' life. Punish those people who were caught using doping, says Bariev, 'no questions: 'At the moment we don't know what these questions are because McLaren's commission did not claim that Ivanov, Petrov or Sidorov are accused. In general, they told they have a list of the names who was caught, but the entire team was not allowed to the Games.'

Bariev said it is a tragedy what happened and noted the decision is certainly political. 'If the very Paralympic Committee thinks and acts so, it must be closed or reformed. But if they make a decision under some political or another influence, the sound content of the Paralympic Committee is debatable.'

Bariev thinks all these events will result in certain personnel reshuffles in the composition of international organisations.

According to Bariev,the main goal is to recover the membership of the Athletic and Weightlifting Federations in international organisations in order to enable Russians to participate in competitions.

'We allowed them, and they used it to the maximum'

Commenting a question about the doping scandal, in general, Bariev noted Russia gave our athletes a reason and possibility to be accused of such actions. Initially, when only messages about an athlete who failed a dope test start to appear, sports functionaries told: not only our athletes are accused, others also use it. And the situation got out of control. 'We allowed them, and they used it to the maximum,' Bariev resumed.

Bariev called the people who ask to cut off all contacts with WADA incompetent. The agency controls the doping situation. In Russia, there is no licensed organisation that would do this job. It means it poses Russians' participation under threat.

Athletes' statements that sports functionaries don't help were also mentioned. For example, Daria Klishina and Yulia Yefimova had to find lawyers and lodge appeals themselves. Marat Bariev said he finds it difficult to comment this question because he knows little about it. But he is convinced this situation will serve as a lesson to everybody: 'For somebody, it was a tragedy, for somebody, it was like scratches in their soul, but this Olympiad is over.'

According to Bariev, the main goal is to recover the membership of the Athletic and Weightlifting Federations in international organisations in order to enable Russians to participate in competitions. He also added it won't be possible to solve the problem quietly: dirty linen has already been washed in public. 'Probably we will be asked, for example, to get rid of certain employees. We will have to do it in order to stay in the international sports movement,' Marat Bariev added.