Sovetsky Sport. May 30, 1971. Volodya, note that I am addressing you first as a conscientious citizen (after all, you will turn nineteen in September), and only then as an athlete.
You see, I couldn't talk to you about everything at once, and besides, you didn't seem to be in the mood for a heart-to-heart conversation. Well, I understand your situation - it's difficult to trust a stranger, to share with him everything that's bothering you or, conversely, everything you're proud of, but I warned you: the situation has taken a serious turn, and it would be best for you to think very, very carefully about it.
But you, Volodya, didn't bother to reflect on the matter, neither during our conversation when we were face to face, nor when we discussed your behavior together with your fellow gymnasts. Therefore, I am forced to resort to such a decisive measure of public influence as an open letter in the newspaper. And I also decided to do this because not everything is going well in our youth gymnastics program. And not only in terms of skill level, but also in the area of sports ethics and morality. In recent months, A. Nozade and E. Ananskikh have been expelled from the national youth team, and S. Khorenko has received a strict warning. V. Fogel has been removed from the senior team for misconduct.
Failure to adhere to the training regimen, drinking alcohol, arrogance, and disrespect towards teammates and the coach are some of the reasons for the expulsion of those who initially received the high honor for an athlete - becoming a member of the national team.
Several instances of violations of sports discipline - this phenomenon, it seems to be, is far from accidental. It's no secret that our men's gymnastics has suffered for many years from a lack of talented young athletes. The situation has finally begun to improve, and we have high hopes for them in the future. It's been a long time since we've seen such an intense influx of young talent. They are provided with the best training conditions, the best coaches, gyms, equipment - everything is top notch. And that's proper. Talented, hardworking athletes deserve special attention. But some young gymnasts take this care for granted and think that they can do whatever they want. And now we see the disastrous results.
Your actions and views, Volodya Marchenko, have provoked outrage among many people. The guys you train with have come to see you as a stranger, an outsider. I won't hide the fact that I came to Grozny because of a letter from your coach, Kim Yefimovich Vasserman, who asked for advice on what to do with a disobedient student. What advice can I give, how can I help with this sorrow? (Forgive me, but at this moment I have a feeling that you're smirking - because I think you still haven't understood what an insult you inflicted on your teacher.)
However, I will try to prove to you how low you have sunk, using your own actions as an example.
Eight years ago, Anatoly Vasilyevich Panchokhin, the director of the sports school, said to Kim Yefimovich: "What kind of kindergarten group have you assembled? They're all so young..." To which Vasserman replied: "Anatoly Vasilyevich, remember the name Marchenko."
Volodya, of course you don't remember this incident, but these two men, who dedicated all the passion of their souls to coaching, remember it. Vova Marchenko and Borya Kinev did the most pull-ups on the horizontal bar back then, and the coach, his voice trembling with excitement, confidentially whispered to the school teacher: "It seems I've found two nuggets of gold among them..."
Eight years of hard work. You never missed a single training session. You were considered the most talented: you grasped new elements instantly, you were naturally gifted with flexibility and excellent coordination. And many of your peers were left behind.
When you were still in seventh grade, you and your coach were called up for the first time to a short training camp held on the Black Sea. What a joy that was! They noticed you, and they wanted to help you. And...Marchenko changed, as they say: he started being late for training sessions. Kim Yefimovich repeatedly warned him - to no avail. "You won't be going to the national team!" - that was the unavoidable punishment. But you, having obtained the money somewhere, left on your own and then, at the seaside, you lied about your coach being ill.
This was just an isolated incident, everyone has forgotten about it, but it's the first link in a chain of your future antics. Last year you performed successfully at two youth championships, you were included in the national team, and local newspapers wrote about you. And how fame went to your head!
You stopped greeting your coach, someone who was important to you! You didn't listen to his advice during training. And your studies in school also deteriorated, you argued with teachers and even quarreled with the cleaning staff. That's what your self-importance and blind belief in your own exceptionalism have led you to.
And then things got even worse. In February, without telling anyone, you flew to Alma-Ata. You caused so much worry to so many people! Finally, your trail was found. Phone calls, telegrams... You replied that you wanted to train with K. Sorvin along with your friend A. Ulyanov, whom you met at competitions.
I talked to you, I tried to understand your point of view on what happened, but not a trace of doubt crossed your cunning face. You still don't understand that you betrayed your coach, your teammates, and the sports community whose colors you represented.
They made you return to Grozny. You should have wised up, reflected on everything, but instead you started behaving even worse. When they announced the line-up, you demonstratively sat down on the carpet and even said to the coach: "I want to do everything just to spite you." I spoke with you in your hometown, and then in Leningrad, where you competed at the USSR Cup (and, incidentally, performed quite poorly). They tried to convince you, to prove that your actions were wrong. And what happened? After the competition, you stole your passport from the coach's suitcase, and then, without a word, you were off to Alma-Ata.
Credit must be given to Yuri Evlampievich Titov, head of the gymnastics department of the USSR Sports Committee: he took a firm stance. All avenues for finding another coach were blocked for you. You were forced to return home against your will.
You explain your defiant behavior by saying that you and your coach didn't see eye to eye, that he disliked you, and that he was excessively critical. Do you know that Marchenko is Vasserman's favorite pupil, his flesh and blood? Kim Yefimovich, if I may say so, suffered through agonizing night vigils while creating your interesting routines and through daily two-hour training sessions. Everything you've achieved you owe primarily to him. But you stubbornly insisted to me that you mainly achieved results thanks to "your own abilities" and that you could train independently.
Yes, Kim Yefimovich is sometimes hot-tempered and quick-tempered. He is irritated and angered by those who violate discipline and rules. You stated that it is impossible to work creatively with such a coach and that all the guys think the same way. But when we gathered in that cramped room without Kim Yefimovich, nobody, mind you, nobody among the guys supported you, although someone did add that you might be able to improve.
I reproached your teammates for only offering silent condemnation. To be honest, everyone was expecting you to show remorse that evening, hoping you would apologize to the coach. But when Kim Yefimovich entered the room, you got into a long argument with him and even started insulting a man twice your age - your teacher. And I think Vasserman did the right thing after this wild scene - he forbade you from training with the other guys. All of his students agreed with the coach's decision.
You left the room with a triumphant look on your face. And all because, as you yourself told me, you have some tempting offers from somewhere. You might be miscalculating. After learning about your behavior and arrogance, it's unlikely that any serious coach will accept you into their team.
That's all, Vladimir Marchenko. You're still young, you have time to think things over. If you stick to your opinion, your career as an athlete will be over.
I'm telling you this as one gymnast to another.
V. GOLUBEV, Master of Sports