In an exciting final, Russia had won the gold in the free team routine by beating Spain by just 2.5 points. Both countries had once again raised this historic artistic swimming showdown to another level, and the color of the final medal was decided by details. After a seemingly normal podium, Spanish outrage exploded on social media to expose a cheat by the Russian team.
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“Today I have no words, I would love to ask them what went through their minds to make that decision,” began Alissa Ozhogina, half Russian half Spanish.
For now, no procedure is underway, but the outrage comes from the following. As Andrea Fuentes explained in the lead-up to the European Championships in Paris, they devised a new figure in their routine called Madness, where the theme allows you to take elements to perhaps unknown parts of synchro. No one had made such a big desynchronization (all the swimmers did a different figure). At first glance, it was just that, madness, but it fits into the story explained in the water, how geniuses break molds and at first are treated like madmen.
Spain, thanks to this figure devised by her and with a high difficulty, significantly improved the score and reached 282 points. It was the secret weapon (although it had been explained), the novelty of this European Championship in a routine that was already swum last year. Russia decided to make it theirs too and copy it for the final. That way, they matched the Spanish effect and introduced it (it is understood that they made it part of their choreography’s story) in one of the parts. That caused their score to also rise to 285, so they ended up winning the gold by details. For a figure invented by Spain and copied by Russia.
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“Is a gold medal really worth so much that you don’t care how you win it? By copying the country below you? Is that the way? Stealing an idea?” added the Spanish athlete. Paula Ramírez, the captain, also gave her opinion on social media: “If the way to beat your biggest competitor is by appropriating their innovation instead of creating your own, then yes, you have won but you have given them the title of innovation (…) We set trends and you follow behind.”
“Winning a championship and leading a sport are not always the same,” Ramírez insists. “I hope they reconsider and realize that what they have done is not fair, not ethical, nor worthy of celebrating a victory,” Ozhogina concludes.
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