Armenian Gymnast Faces Harsh Punishment Over Call Out Against Gymnastics Coaches

Elvira Krasnobaeva, aged 16, is an Armenian gymnast (originally from Russia, formerly representing Bulgaria). She found herself in a difficult situation involving her coaches in Armenia after calling them out for mistreatment.

Elvira Krasnobaeva switched her national allegiance from Bulgaria to Armenia after failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024. She had a loud relationship with the Armenian Gymnastics Federation. Regardless of significant financial investment to help her develop new routines and training, Krasnobaeva was reported to be someone who was displaying disruptive and disrespectful behavior. The Federation claimed that she had major problems, like acting out, dismissing training schedules, and showing arrogance to her coaches, even refusing to perform during practice sessions. According to them, it was bad.

This circumstance further escalated when Krasnobaeva’s mother, Alexandra Chernysheva, was involved. Chernysheva reportedly acknowledged her daughter’s difficult nature and revealed similar behavior during her time with Bulgaria’s national team. “Her mother confirmed that Elvira behaved similarly in Bulgaria but was tolerated,” the Armenian Federation said. Later on, the Armenian Federation withdrew Krasnobaeva from an important tournament in Dubai, given her failure to meet the standards of professional conduct that are expected of athletes.

For Krasnobaeva, the sequence of things went wrong from there on. Some critics state that the Federation’s actions were ignorant, as they dismissed understanding the root causes of Krasnobaeva’s behavior and focused on protecting its own reputation. And in doing so, they encouraged a culture of silence where athletes, especially those who have been mistreated, feel pressured to remain silent or face harsh measures.