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How to destroy the legacy of the Olympics? This recipe will be given by many host countries of the Games. But, perhaps, only in Yaroslavl know how to raise champions after this. Sports tells the shocking truth about the stadium from the 1980 Olympic Games, which is about to collapse completely, but where both ordinary athletes and athletes with disabilities train, risking their health.
Bragino is the most densely populated district of Yaroslavl. A 14-story building built in the late 70s.
— Our house is already old. It was completed for the 1980 Olympics,” says pensioner Vyacheslav Petrovich. — They wanted to make a dormitory for athletes. But something didn’t work out for them, and they gave everything to us.
— For the Olympics? There are no objects here.
—You don’t know? Let's go, I'll show you, he's in our yard here…
Yaroslavl cycle track. An unknown object of the legendary Olympics-80, the fifth governor of the region is thinking in vain, but very intensely about its unenviable fate.
And it still rots and crumbles into eternal dust.
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Getting into it turned out to be difficult. Before our next visit, we enlisted the support of local trainers — otherwise, they say, the security won’t let us in. In Soviet times, everything was different — the territory was not surrounded by an ugly fence with an iron vice, so anyone could enter. Mothers with strollers walked on the asphalt paths around the track, young people rested in the shade of trees, and on the concrete stands, Vyacheslav Petrovich led a free health group for everyone in the evenings after a working day at the plant.
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He says 200 people gathered at a time. In modern realities, the numbers are unthinkable, but for Yaroslavl at that time it was an ordinary phenomenon. Before the 1980 Olympics, the city was put in order, ennobled and developed. Already during the Games, delegations from Belgium, France, the GDR, Germany, Bulgaria, Austria, Poland and other countries were transported from Moscow by bus. The country was proud of the pearl of the Golden Ring and tried in every possible way to show it to foreigners — they, in turn, as contemporaries say, left for Moscow with undisguised inspiration from what they saw.
To achieve this effect, saleswomen in stores were taught the basics of foreign languages, and athletes—amateurs and professionals—went out on regular cleanup days to decorate everything. The sports community in Yaroslavl was already large, and by the Olympics, with the active assistance of local authorities, it multiplied and strengthened even more. And this very velodrome has become one of the centers of the city’s sports and cultural life.
It was built on the initiative of the trade union council in 1977, right on the eve of the Games. He never qualified for the Olympic competitions — the legendary indoor track in Krylatskoye was built specifically for them. The role of the Yaroslavl “younger brother” in epochal events was reduced to auxiliary functions — pre-Olympic training camps and training bases. It would seem like nothing special, but in reality everything is not so simple. Yes, “Krylatskoye” is the only one we have, but the construction of the Yaroslavl track was an extraordinary event for the USSR. If only because there are only four open-air tracks in the country — and after Tula, Yaroslavl is perhaps the most significant of them.
The fact is that the local cycle track hosts not only ordinary cyclists. Within its walls, students of the Olympic reserve school No. 19 train, which at one time trained only completely healthy children, and then switched to mixed groups with athletes of the so-called “adaptive school”, who in the world would be easier to call people with disabilities (HH) — that is, people with impairments of the musculoskeletal system, vision, hearing, and so on. Vyacheslav Valentinovich Konstantinov has been working as the head coach for many years, and the group of athletes with disabilities is led by Mikhail Kuznetsov, his matured student.
The city administration is verbally very proud of the bicycle school. Over the years, it has produced multiple champions of Russia and participants in the World Paracycling Championships, and a fairly strong junior team. On the official portal of Yaroslavl there is even a separate page dedicated to her with an invitation to sign up for classes. It is emphasized that “equipment and supplies are provided by the school.”
Konstantinov decided to tell us how things really are. We meet him near the entrance to the territory. First we notice it, and then — the chipped asphalt, deep holes in which are plugged by fresh puddles after the morning rain. “This is the kind of territory we have here,” says Vyacheslav Valentinovich. “You see for yourself, you can’t really walk around anymore.”
After the collapse of the USSR, the object changed owners several times. Each subsequent one, instead of a full-fledged restoration, introduced new orders, the essence of which boiled down to a solid metal fence on the perimeter. Fence, keep out, but do not restore. And on the territory — as after a natural disaster or bombing.
This is what the bathhouse for athletes looks like now. In a good month, you don’t have to supply water to it — it will leak through the leaky roof. » />
And so — external stairs to the stands. By the way, according to existing standards, the Yaroslavl cycling track can still hold competitions. Would you come here with your children?
Konstantinov, who has worked at the Yaroslavl cycling track since its construction, walks alongside and shows the surroundings. He talks about each new “attraction” with a nervous laugh, as if the owner welcomed guests into his apartment — and suddenly it wasn’t tidy. The eyes are upset, sad. «We need to cut down, plant new ones. People came from above, cut down and left the logs lying around. I would have taken them out myself, but they are getting old… They say, “You have athletes, dispose of them.” How will I send them? What if they get injured? How will they perform? They’re still just kids.»
Inspecting the territory of the track itself. We pass another lattice fence and approach the stands. On the right hand is the road surface on which the guys compete. Before reaching it there is a tunnel under the grandstand through which cyclists enter the track. The road is blocked by debris, rusty metal beams and an old tire. The reflections of standing water flicker on the concrete slabs of the walls.
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“The sub-tribune sometimes gets flooded, yes,” comments Konstantinov. “No, we don’t complain — we have the lowest place in the city here. They installed a pump, it pumps out, of course, but sometimes it doesn’t cope. Sometimes you go there — and there everything is flooded, ducks are swimming…».
Next are the stands and the road surface itself. We try to climb up the collapsed steps, but it doesn’t work the first time. Just as a reminder — people with disabilities, who by default need more for comfort and convenience, train and perform at this emergency facility. Not to mention the banal risk to health, and sometimes to life.
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“Do you see the lanterns?” Vyacheslav Valentinovich points to the canvas lighting system. “No one has changed them since 1978.” «Look, you see, the wires are sticking out? They were dangling and dangling and fell. They are flying straight towards the track, almost on people's heads.»
Tribunes The only things preventing it from falling off are the rusty nails protruding from the dry wood, blackened by time and moisture. The concrete turned green and began to crumble, and glass was broken in some places on the upper tiers of the covered cabins.
The track surface, in comparison with everything else, is still in more or less tolerable condition, but the sides… They, like other wooden structures, have not been changed since the date of construction.
We move to the under-tribune rooms. Vyacheslav Valentinovich unlocks the storage room with bicycles and stops for a second. “I’m really ashamed…”
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“Here they are, our workhorses. They’re already old, and there aren’t enough of them for everyone. Some people come to exercise with their bicycles, we take them This is where we store it.»
It’s paradoxical that a person is ashamed of this, on whom, in essence, nothing depends. Let's go record the interview. We sit down right in the middle of the corridor under the stands, where the athletes train — they have no other indoor training area. There is a lot of noise from roller machines in the room, and music is playing from an old tape recorder. This narrow corridor is a kind of bomb shelter for them. And a few meters above is a destroyed world without hopes and prospects.
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— My name is Vyacheslav Valentinovich Konstantinov, I am the coach of sports school No. 19 and the head of the Cycling Federation of the Yaroslavl Region. I’m working… It’s scary to even remember what year. But since the very construction of the cycle track, that is, since 1977-78. At first he acted as an athlete, then as an instructor, and after receiving his education, he became a coach. Now we are trying to ensure that our guys can prepare and go to competitions, including all-Russian ones.
— For now we were walking, you mentioned that among the school’s students there are even international-class masters of sports.
— Yes, here Grigory Sapytsky became the vice-champion of Russia this year (among people with musculoskeletal disorders), and was included in the national team. A year ago he was our national champion. Evgenia Vershinina just recently left the bench; she is a master of sports, a champion and prize-winner of Russian championships and international competitions, and a participant in the World Championship. She herself is from St. Petersburg and stands for Udmurtia. I am training her, my wife Ekaterina is Zhenya’s pilot on a tandem bicycle. Zhenya has been living at our house for a long time…
Also recently, our regional team competed at the Russian track championship. We try to show results.
— At the same time, there is a problem with inventory. Although the administration website says that the school provides everything.
— Well, inventory is generally a sore spot now. Equipment that was produced in other countries is now difficult to obtain. Although we didn’t have many opportunities to buy bicycles before. We, of course, have been using the wheels and frames that you saw here for a long time. Maybe it will be better next…
We wrote a letter to the Russian Cycling Federation (FVSR), asking for help in purchasing equipment — they delivered 30 bicycles to Yaroslavl, and provided us with a car for traveling to competitions. This is a big help, of course, we are using it now. But ten years have passed since then. And some of our bicycles have been standing here since the last century.
It’s all funny, of course. Although, you know, it’s not even funny.
— So, the school has 30 relatively new bicycles. How many athletes?
— A little more than 100 people, 24 of them are in adaptive school groups. I would like this figure to be higher, but the guys come and look at it all like that… Maybe they expect better conditions. Our sport is not the easiest, you have to work seriously, and of course you want the environment and equipment to be appropriate.
But we still hope that over time our boxes, locker rooms and the canvas will come into proper shape, and we will be able to hold competitions not only at the city level, but also to invite children from other regions. Because now we will not be able to hold championships in Russia.
— As far as I know, the track was built with an eye to the 1980 Olympics. In fact, the object is Olympic.
— Well, it’s too loud, but if in essence, yes, it is. In terms of competitions, the Moscow cycling track would be a priority in any case, but as an additional platform, a place for training and Olympic training camps — this is what our facility was built for. Although we also held international competitions — the same «Friendship». But then the condition of the object was better, of course. Now it requires a lot of improvement.
— Has it been repaired at least once since 1978?
—Only for small things, but not for major things. The wooden covering — the sides, the seats for spectators — has long been outdated and dried out. Yes, you saw it yourself. Maybe it’s time to switch to some modern materials, the same plastic, so that at least it doesn’t swell from the rain…
— At the same time, the object is listed on the city’s balance sheet?
— Yes, it is municipal.
— And what do the city authorities say?
— Mostly — fed with promises. «We'll look into it.»
— They are considering 46 years?
— It turns out that it is so. Nobody promised us anything concrete during all this time. Look, think — yes, but what's the point? Things are still there.
— Yes, we wrote letters to Svetlana Zhurova, Valentina Tereshkova (the famous cosmonaut, a native of Yaroslavl — editor's note). They also tried to somehow contact United Russia. We haven't received a response yet. In a good way, we probably need to try again. On the other hand, how long can you walk with an outstretched hand? It’s somehow even inconvenient.
— FSVR, Vyacheslav Ekimov say something?
— We wrote to them too, of course. They have not refused us yet, but, as they say, there is no immediate opportunity to help. We asked for help with inventory, it’s time to update it too. Nowadays, bicycles are on a completely different level, costing about 600 thousand each — this is if we are talking about those that the pros ride. Our school cannot purchase them.
We asked the federation to help at least partially — to at least provide the leaders with bicycles or at least aerodynamic wheels. But, as they say, there are no funds yet. We, in principle, understand everything; these are really big expenses. I just wish our guys also had the opportunity to show themselves. Those bicycles that were delivered to us ten years ago are suitable for the training process, but to take them to adult competitions, of course, this is not enough for a good result.
Just yesterday we returned from the competition in Tula — other guys are coming out on modern bicycles. And the time they show is not comparable to ours. And we come to those white ones that you saw. They, of course, meet the requirements for admission to competitions, but there is no way to really compete on equal terms with them. One aluminum bike comes out, and the other is carbon — and you can’t do anything about it.
— How do you get to the competitions? At your own expense?
— Well, there are no problems with the starts that we have here. And if you form a team for all-Russian competitions, then you already have to look for ways. We are trying somehow through the sports department, within the federation… But not a single race takes place without parental participation. Conventionally, we can pay for travel, parents can pay for food, and sometimes accommodation.
— Not a cheap sport, it turns out.
— Yes, not cheap, of course. I also understand that it is impossible to put all these costs on the parents. But this is the situation. It’s a shame, you know, when there are talented guys, but it’s not possible to pull it all off purely financially. We try, we try to help as much as possible, but that’s how it turns out. In my understanding, the guys don’t get about half of the races they should have.
— There have been no proposals from the city administration — they say, you help children at your own expense, and repair the cycle track yourself?
— In one form or another it sounds. In the spirit of «Every whim for your money.» The involvement of third-party forces and means, let’s say, is welcome. Although this is also somehow strange for me.
— Are local media interested in the situation at all?
— They come and film. Then they show it on television — look, our competitions are over, the season has opened. Here are the judges, here are the coaches, here are the athletes, here is the parade, here is the podium. And that’s all.
— Does this beauty around not bother anyone?
— No, of course.
— Vyacheslav Valentinovich, how much enthusiasm do you need to carry all this on yourself?
— How can I tell you… Well, look at them — the guys come and look into your eyes. How could it be otherwise? And I can give them something, tell them, teach them. This is probably the most important thing that drives us all.
— I suppose there is no financial factor in this movement?
— O -o-o (laughs). What is the factor there?
— While I was coming to you, a report from the Ministry of Sports came out. They say that salaries for coaches in our country start at 48 thousand.
— Maybe somewhere it is like that, of course. For us it’s somewhere around 40 thousand a month. Then the guys need to save some more of this money for travel to the competitions, and leave two or three thousand for medals for our competitions.
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— Very much. Okay, I’ll leave if anything happens. Where are the guys?
—Have you done any approximate calculations of how much it will cost to repair the track?
—There were separate calculations. Let’s say, if the sides, seats and lighting are changed, it’s somewhere around 200-300 thousand. And we would have a completely different view here. We can't get that kind of money ourselves.
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At the end of the conversation, girls from the school joined us. For about half an hour they stood around the corner and listened, and then they couldn’t stand it anymore. They told their stories, which are probably not very ethical to retell, but their general essence boiled down to two words — hard and painful. A little later, Vyacheslav Petrovich came up to us, and one of his phrases from a conversation with cyclists stuck firmly in my head.
— Everyone says, they say, Mariupol-Mariupol. And “Mariupol” is here, with us. This track is our Mariupol.