President of the Russian Swimming Federation Vladimir SalnikovHe said as he approached USA Swimming With the proposal to face each other in a doubles match next February immediately after the 2024 World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Said Salnikov (As reported by the Russian news agency TASS)
She contacted USA Swimming to organize a duel immediately after the World Championships in Doha.
Now they are considering this proposal, but some of the people I spoke to, including the legendary American coach mark schubert, They were very positive.
However, USA Swimming’s sales manager, Shanna Fergusonhe told The Sports Examiner that “US Swimming has not discussed the matter with the Russian Swimming Federation.”
Salnikov spoke with Mark Schubertwho served as national team director from 2006 to 2010 and worked on eight consecutive U.S. Olympic teams from 1980 to 2008. But this year, Schubert ran unsuccessfully for a seat on USA Swimming’s board of directors.
Russian swimmers have been banned from participating in international competitions since last March due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, but are expected to return as neutral athletes at the 2024 World Championships. Salnikov remained skeptical about Russian swimmers participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics, insisting that the focus be on the Los Angeles edition. Angeles 2028.
Russia’s proposal to hold a dual meet is complicated by the fact that the United States will send only 18 swimmers to the 2024 world championships, including just five women.
But if this meeting happens, it will not be the first time the two countries have faced each other in a “duel”: their rivalry goes back to the days of the Soviet Union in 1971. They also faced each other in 1978, 1981 and 1989.
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