Silenced Voices: Mamun Discusses Russian Gymnasts Refusal of Neutral Status

The Olympic champion of Rio de Janeiro 2016 and multiple world champion in rhythmic gymnastics, **[Margarita Mamun](https://www.example.com)**, shared her thoughts on the decision of Russian gymnasts to withdraw from international competitions under a neutral flag.

«I have already expressed my view on this matter. If the girls are granted a neutral status, they should participate. Decisions shouldn’t be made on their behalf. It’s unfair to exclude the entire team because of a few. I sincerely hope that the girls will return to the international stage as soon as possible, as gaining strength and experience is crucial — especially for the new generation. Competing internationally is an entirely different experience. It’s challenging, but necessary.

Our sport is still relatively young, and many of the girls are minors. They don’t have much say in these matters. A number of them are still quite young, so naturally, they will go along with whatever is decided for them,» Mamun stated, as reported by Championship correspondent Sonia Kasatkina.