Alina Kabaeva

Alina Maratovna Kabaeva (Russian: Али́на Мара́товна Каба́ева, pronounced [ɐˈlʲinə mɐˈratəvnə kɐˈbajɪvə]; Tatar: Әлинә Марат кызы Кабаева; born 12 May 1983) is a Russian Honored Master of Sports, a retired individual rhythmic gymnast, a model and film star, and a politician.[1][2][3][4]

This name uses Eastern Slavic naming customs; the patronymic is Maratovna and the family name is Kabaeva.

Alina Kabaeva
Personal information
Full name	Alina Maratovna Kabaeva
Country represented	Russia
Born	(1983-05-12) 12 May 1983 Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union
Residence	Moscow, Russia
Height	166 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Weight	50 kg (110 lb)
Discipline	Rhythmic gymnastics
Club	MGFSO Dynamo
Head coach(es)	Irina Viner
Assistant coach(es)	Vera Shatalina
Choreographer	Veronica Shatkova
Eponymous skills	Backscale pivots
Retired	2007
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 0 1 World Championships 9 3 2 European Championships 15 3 3 European Team Championships 3 0 0 World Cup Final 5 1 0 Grand Prix Final 4 1 1 Goodwill Games 4 1 0 Total 41 9 7 Representing  Russia Rhythmic Gymnastics Olympic Games 2004 Athens All-around 2000 Sydney All-around World Championships 1999 Osaka All-around 1999 Osaka Team 1999 Osaka Ball 1999 Osaka Ribbon 2003 Budapest All-around 2003 Budapest Team 2003 Budapest Ball 2003 Budapest Ribbon 2007 Patras Team 1999 Osaka Rope 1999 Osaka Hoop 2003 Budapest Hoop 2003 Budapest Clubs 2007 Patras Ribbon Disqualified 2001 Madrid All-around Disqualified 2001 Madrid Rope Disqualified 2001 Madrid Ball Disqualified 2001 Madrid Hoop Disqualified 2001 Madrid Clubs Disqualified 2001 Madrid Team European Championships 1998 Porto All-around 1999 Budapest All-around 1999 Budapest Hoop 2000 Zaragoza All-around 2000 Zaragoza Team 2000 Zaragoza Hoop 2000 Zaragoza Ball 2000 Zaragoza Ribbon 2001 Geneva Hoop 2001 Geneva Ball 2001 Geneva Clubs 2002 Granada All-around 2002 Granada Team 2004 Kyiv All-around 2004 Kyiv Team 1999 Budapest Ribbon 2001 Geneva Rope 2006 Moscow All-around 1998 Porto Team 1999 Budapest Rope 2000 Zaragoza Rope European Team Championships 1999 Patras Team 2001 Riesa Team 2003 Moscow Team World Cup Final 2000 Glasgow Rope 2000 Glasgow Ball 2000 Glasgow Ribbon 2004 Moscow Hoop 2004 Moscow Ribbon 2000 Glasgow Hoop Grand Prix Final 1998 Linz All-around 1999 Korneuburg Hoop 1999 Korneuburg Ball 1999 Korneuburg Ribbon 2001 Deventer All-around 2001 Deventer Hoop 2001 Deventer Ball 1999 Korneuburg All-around 2001 Deventer Rope 2000 Deventer Ribbon Goodwill Games 1998 New York All-around 1998 New York Clubs 1998 New York Ribbon 1998 New York Hoop 1998 New York Rope Disqualified 2001 Brisbane All-around Disqualified 2001 Brisbane Ball Disqualified 2001 Brisbane Clubs Disqualified 2001 Brisbane Rope Disqualified 2001 Brisbane Hoop

Kabaeva is one of the most decorated gymnasts in rhythmic gymnastic history, with 2 Olympic medals, 14 World Championship medals, and 25 European Championship medals.

From 2007 to 2014, Kabaeva was a State Duma Deputy from the United Russia Party. In September 2014, Kabaeva became the chairwoman of the board of directors of the National Media Group (ru).

Personal life

Kabaeva, the daughter of a Tatar father and Russian mother, was born in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, in the Soviet Union, on 12 May 1983.[1] Kabaeva's father, Marat Kabayev, was a professional football player, and the family was constantly following him to different places in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

Kabaeva previously practiced Islam,[5] but was later baptized into Christianity.[6]

She was engaged to policeman David Museliani in 2004.[7][8] They began a relationship in 2002 but separated in 2005.[9]

In April 2008, the Moskovsky Korrespondent reported that Kabaeva was engaged to Russian President Vladimir Putin.[10] The story was denied and the newspaper was shut down.[11] In the following years, the status of Kabaeva and Putin's relationship became a topic of speculation, including allegations that they have multiple children together.[12] In July 2013, Kabaeva reported that she does not have any children.[13][14] In March 2015, Kabaeva was reported to have given birth at the VIP-hospital of Saint Ann in Ticino, Switzerland; the paternity of her child is unknown.[15][16]

Rhythmic gymnastics career

Kabaeva started Rhythmic Gymnastics at age 3, with Coach Margarita Samuilovna.[17]

In her young teens, Kabaeva moved to Moscow, where her mother took her to the Russian Head Coach, Irina Viner.[18]

1996 to 1999

Kabaeva stayed with Viner, and made her international debut in 1996. In 1998, the 15-year-old Kabaeva won the European Championships in Portugal. At the time, Kabaeva was the youngest member of the Russian squad, competing alongside internationally recognized teammates, such as Amina Zaripova. In 1999, Kabaeva became the European Champion for the second consecutive time, and won the World Title in Osaka, Japan. Kabaeva went on to win a total of 5 All-Around titles at the European Championships.

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, in Australia, Kabaeva was expected to claim Gold in All-Around; however, due to an error in an otherwise exceptional performance—she dropped her hoop, and ran to retrieve it outside of the competition area—Kabaeva won the Bronze Medal, with the final score of 39.466 (Rope 9.925, Hoop 9.641, Ball 9.950, Ribbon 9.950). Belarus' Yulia Raskina took the Silver Medal, while fellow Russian teammate, Yulia Barsukova, won the Olympic Gold Medal.[19][20]

2001 to 2004

(L-R) Alina Kabaeva (bronze), Yulia Barsukova (gold) and Yulia Raskina (silver) at 2000 Olympic Games podium

At the 2001 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, Kabaeva won the Gold Medal for the Ball, Clubs, Hoop, Rope, the Individual All-Around, and the Team competitions. At the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia, Kabaeva won the Gold Medal for the Ball, Clubs, and Rope competitions, and the Silver in the Individual All-Around, and Hoop. However, Kabaeva and her teammate, Irina Tchachina, tested positive to a banned diuretic (furosemide), and were stripped of their medals.[21]

Viner, the Russian Head Coach, who also served as the Vice President of the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee at the time, said her gymnasts had been taking a food supplement called "Hyper", that contained mild diuretics, which, according to Viner, the gymnasts were taking for premenstrual syndrome. When the supply ran out shortly before the Goodwill Games, the team physiotherapist restocked at a local pharmacy. According to Viner, the supplement sold there was fake and contained furosemide. The Committee requested that the Goodwill Games Organizing Committee nullify Kabaeva and Tchachina's results. The FIG also nullified their results from the World Championships in Madrid, Spain, causing Ukraine's Tamara Yerofeeva to be declared the 2001 World Champion.[21]

Kabaeva added another World Title in 2003 in Budapest, Hungary.[22] Kabaeva won the All-Around Gold Medal at the 2003 World Championships, as well as the event final in Ribbon and Ball ahead of Anna Bessonova from Ukraine.

In 2004, Kabaeva won the All-Around Gold at the 2004 European Championships in Kiev. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Greece, Kabaeva won the Gold Medal in the Individual All-Around for Rhythmic Gymnastics, with a score of 108.400 (Hoop 26.800, Ball 27.350, Clubs 27.150, Ribbon 27.100), the Silver Medal went to her teammate, Irina Tchachina.[23]

2005 to 2007

In October 2004, Kabaeva announced her retirement from the sport.[24] However, in June 2005, the Russian Head Coach Irina Viner announced a possible comeback.[25] Kabaeva resumed her sport career at an Italy-Russia friendly competition in Genoa, on 10 September 2005.[26] On 5 March 2006, Kabaeva won the Gazprom Moscow Grand Prix, with fellow Russians Vera Sessina and Olga Kapranova, taking the Second and Third places.[27] Kabaeva won the Silver Medal in All-Around at the 2006 European Championships, behind teammate, Sessina.

At the 2007 European Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan; Kabaeva, Sessina, and Kapranova were chosen to represent Russia. However, on the eve of the competition, Kabaeva withdrew due to an injury. Viner selected rising upcoming gymnast Evgenia Kanaeva from Russia's National Team as the replacement. Kabaeva finished 4th in All-Around qualifications at the 2007 World Championships, and did not advance into the finals due to the two per country rule, with Vera Sessina and Olga Kapranova placing ahead of Kabaeva.

Kabaeva completed her career after the 2007 Season.

Contributions to rhythmic gymnastics

Kabaeva revolutionized rhythmic gymnastics as one of the few gymnasts to have performed new skills and elements, including the back split pivot with hand help (also known as "The Kabaeva"), the ring position with a slow full turn, and the backscale pivot that she first performed.[28]

Rhythmic gymnastic achievements

• Won the 1998 European Championships in the all-around in Porto, Portugal, at 15 years of age, the youngest ever to do so.
• Leveled with Elena Karpuchina as one of the youngest Rhythmic Gymnast to win the All-Around World Championships in 1999 Osaka at 16 years old, until Yana Kudryavtseva of the Russian Federation broke the record winning the All-Around 2013 World Championships at 15 years old.
• Performed the backscale pivot first.[28]
• Holds the record for the most European All-Around titles, in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2004.
• Won all Grand-slam titles, and is only one of the three rhythmic gymnasts (with Ekaterina Serebrianskaya and Evgenia Kanaeva) ever to do so. The titles are: Olympics, World Championships, European Championships, World Cup Final, and Grand Prix Final.
• Became a six time Russian National All-Around Champion, in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, and 2007.[29]

Detailed Olympic results

Year	Competition Description	Location	Music[30]	Apparatus	Score-Final	Score-Qualifying
2004	Olympics	Athens		All-around	108.400	105.875
			Sphynx by Giampiero Ponte	Ribbon	27.100	26.100
			Syrtaki by D. Moutsis	Ball	27.350	27.250
			Carmen's entrance and Habanera by Georges Bizet	Hoop	26.800	26.050
			Sphynx (Club Mix) by Giampiero Ponte, Moran	Clubs	27.150	26.475

Year	Competition Description	Location	Music	Apparatus	Score-Final	Score-Qualifying
2000	Olympics	Sydney		All-around	39.466	39.691
			Dilorom / Yor Yor by Yulduz Usmanova and Shahzod	Ribbon	9.950	9.925
			Felicia by Luis Bravo	Ball	9.950	9.925
			Les Toreadors by Georges Bizet	Hoop	9.651	9.925
			Tsiganochka (Gypsy Folk)	Rope	9.925	9.916

Routine music information

Kabaeva at the 2001 World Championships

Kabaeva at 1999 European Championships

Year	Apparatus	Music title[30]
2007	Hoop (second)	Allegro Vivo (Walpurgis Night) from Faust by Charles Gounod
	Hoop (first)	Payadora by Julian Plaza
	Rope (second)	Rio Rita by DJ Valer
	Rope (first)	Sirtaki by André Rieu
	Clubs (second)	Rio Rita by DJ Valer
	Clubs (first)	Sardarabad by Ara Gevorgian
	Ribbon	Espana Cani music from Cincinnati by Pops Orchestra
2006	Ball (second)	Sirtaki by David Moutsis
	Ball (first)	Introduction music from Queen of Spades by Sofia Festival Orchestra
	Rope	Clockwork (Shantel vs Mahala Rai Banda remix) by Mambayaga Project
	Clubs (second)	Overture from The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad by Bernard Herrmann
	Clubs (first)	White Darbouka by Hovannes K.
	Ribbon	Granada by André Rieu
2005	Ball	Fuga Y Misterio by Astor Piazzolla
	Rope	Clockwork (Shantel vs Mahala Rai Banda remix) by Mambayaga Project
	Clubs	White Darbouka by Hovannes K.
	Ribbon	Suite – 1st Movement from The Valencian Widow by Aram Khachaturian
2004	Hoop (second)	Carmen's entrance and Habanera by Georges Bizet
	Hoop (first)	Finale / Dance / Prelude / Bolero from Carmen by Georges Bizet & Rodion Shchedrin
	Ball	Syrtaki by D. Moutsis
	Clubs	Sphynx (Club Mix) by Giampiero Ponte, Moran
	Ribbon	Sphynx by Giampiero Ponte
2003	Hoop	Finale / Dance / Prelude / Bolero from Carmen by Georges Bizet & Rodion Shchedrin
	Ball	Polovtsian Dances music from Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin
	Clubs	Moliendo café by Fanfare Ciocarlia
	Ribbon	Caravane / Der Bauch / Istikhbar by Radar / MC Sultan / Gnawa Diffusion
2002	Hoop	Finale / Dance / Prelude / Bolero from Carmen by Georges Bizet & Rodion Shchedrin
	Rope	Snakefood, Samba Adagio by Safri Duo
	Clubs	Hava Naquila by Party Animals
	Ball	Weather Storm by Craig Armstrong
2001	Hoop	Desert Rose (House Mix) by Sting feat. Cheb Mami
	Rope	Shark music from Full Sink by Laureate
	Clubs	Lament To Birch Bark from The Best Of Russian Folk Music by Moscow Balalaika Quartet
	Ball	Question of U by Classic Metropolitan Orchestra (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
2000	Hoop	Les Toreadors by Georges Bizet
	Rope	Tsiganochka (Traditional Gipsy folk)
	Ball	Felicia from Forever Tango by Luis Bravo
	Ribbon	Dilorom / Yor Yor by Yulduz Usmanova / Shahzod
1999	Hoop	Spirit of Taiko by Kitaro
	Rope	Release the Dubs from Shallow Grave by Leftfield
	Ball	Felicia from Forever Tango by Luis Bravo
	Ribbon	Dilorom / Yor Yor by Yulduz Usmanova / Shahzod
1998	Hoop	Symphonica by DJ Quicksilver
	Clubs	Korobejniki from Kamarinskaya by Michael Glinka
	Ball	?
	Ribbon (second)	Kitri, Entrance, Coda music from Don Quixote by Leon Minkus
	Ribbon (first)	Lo Sciecco Bianco by Nino Rota
1997	Hoop	Paradisio / Canton Express / I dream of Santiago by Gypsy
	Clubs	?
	Ball	Finale (Carnival of the Animals) from Charles by Camille Saint-Saëns
	Ribbon	Lo Sceicco Bianco by Nino Rota

2014 Winter Olympics torch bearer in Sochi, Russia

Kabaeva was among the six Russian athlete torch bearers who carried the Olympic flame through Fisht Stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Kabaeva's selection as a torch bearer generated controversy in the international media because of her alleged close relationship with President Vladimir Putin.[12][31]

Model, film, and post-gymnastics careers

In 2001, Kabaeva appeared in the Japanese movie, Red Shadow, performing her gymnastic routine.[32]

In May 2009, Kabaeva traveled to Japan and participated in a bikini photo shoot.

In January 2011, Kabaeva appeared on the cover of Vogue Russia.[33][34] In the same month, Kabaeva launched her singing career, taking to the stage for the first time.[35]

In 2015, Kabaeva was an honorary guest at the 2015 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. In 2017, Kabaeva became the official FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Ambassador at the 2017 World Championships in Pesaro, Italy.[36]

Political career

Since 2005, Kabaeva has been a member of the Public Chamber of Russia.[37]

Since February 2008, Kabaeva has been chairwoman of the National Media Group's Public Council, the media group that controls Izvestia, Channel One and REN TV.[38]

Between 2007 and 2014, Kabaeva was a Member of the Russian Parliament, the State Duma, representing the United Russia party. In her capacity of a Member of Parliament, Kabaeva voted for a number of controversial laws that were speedily adopted in 2012 and 2013, including the Anti-Magnitsky bill banning inter-country adoption (of Russian orphans) by families in the United States, as well as the Russian gay propaganda law making the distribution of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships" among minors a punishable offense, the extrajudicial ban on access to websites which may host materials violating copyright laws, and the reorganization of the Academy of Sciences.[39][40]

In September 2014, Kabaeva resigned from the Duma and accepted the position of chair of the board of directors of the National Media Group (ru), the largest Russian media conglomerate.[41]

References

1. "Alina Kabaeva". ESPN. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
2. "Alina Kabaeva Photo Gallery". Celebs-Place. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
3. "Alina Kabaeva News". Huffington Post, USA. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
4. "Vladamir Putin's Mistress Has Some Moves (22 Photos)". theCHIVE. Resignation Media, LLC. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
5. "Кабаеву не пустили в мечеть" [Kabaeva was not allowed into the mosque]. rosconcert.com (in Russian). 28 November 2002. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
6. "Алина Кабаева призналась, что верит в Бога и любит читать Библию" [Alina Kabaeva admitted that she believes in God and loves to read the Bible]. interfax-religion.ru (in Russian). 15 December 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
7. "Алина Кабаева выходит замуж?". Komsomolskaya Pravda (in Russian). 6 October 2004. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
8. Алина Кабаева: «Я скрывала свою любовь два года». Журнал «Семь дней», № 41, 4-11 октября 2004, с. 72-77.
9. "СВАДЬБА КАБАЕВОЙ И МУСЕЛИАНИ НЕ СОСТОЯЛАСЬ: МИЛИЦИОНЕР ПРОМЕНЯЛ ГИМНАСТКУ НА АКТРИСУ". Segodnia.ru (in Russian). 14 February 2006. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
10. "Putin Romance Rumors Keep Public Riveted". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 18 April 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
11. Herszenhorn, David M. (5 May 2012). "In the Spotlight of Power, Putin Keeps His Private Life Veiled in Shadows". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
12. Nemtsova, Anna (12 June 2013). "Alina Kabayeva Could Be The Next Mrs. Putin". Newsweek, USA. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
13. "Алина Кабаева: "Детей у меня нет" - 7Дней.ру". 7Дней.ру. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
14. "Alina Kabaeva, la Seconde Dame de Russie?" (in French). Paris Match, France. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
15. MacFarquahar, Neil (14 March 2015). "Putin Has Vanished, but Rumors Are Popping Up Everywhere". The New York Times, USA. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
16. Aschwanden, E.; Jankovsky, P. (13 March 2015). "Alina Kabajewa in Tessiner Privatklinik: Spekulationen um Putin-Nachwuchs" [Alina Kabaeva in Ticino private clinic: Speculations about Putin's offspring]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
17. Alina Kabaeva. My teachers. Kabaeva-alina.com. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
18. "Sports Stars at Age 17". Olympic Channel Service, S.L. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
19. "ESPN Medal Tracker - Individual Medals". ESPN, USA. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
20. "ESPN Medal Tracker - Summer Olympics Medals". ESPN, USA. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
21. "Rhythmic Gymnastics - Alina Kabaeva". Rhythmic-Gymnastics.info. Rhythmic Gymnastics, Spain. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
22. "Alina Kabaeva is Russia's Most Successful Rhythmic Gymnast". A MORDINSON INTRODUCTION, Kharkov, Ukraine. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
23. "Results – 29 August 2004". BBC Sport. 16 December 2005. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
24. Olympic rhythmic gymnastics champion Kabaeva retires, 11 October 2004. GYMmedia. Retrieved 16 December 2010 Archived 17 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
25. XXI. European Championships of RG – qualifications/ Will Kabaeva return?, 10 June 2005. GYMmedia. Retrieved 16 December 2010. Archived 17 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
26. Archived 8 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
27. Kabaeva is back! She won three of five Grand Prix Finals, GYMmedia, 5 March 2006. GYMmedia.com. Retrieved 16 December 2010 Archived 4 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
28. RG named elements Archived 10 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine Gym Power
29. "Alina Kabaeva profile". Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation.
30. "Kabaeva RG music list". rgforum.
31. Chase, Chris (7 February 2014). "Vladimir Putin's Rumored Girlfriend was a Controversial Olympic Torchbearer at Opening Ceremony". USA Today. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
32. "Alina Kabaeva at IMDb". IMDb.com. IMDb.com Inc., USA. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
33. "Putin's Gymnast Alina Kabaeva Covers Vogue Russia January 2011". FashionLover.com. Vogue Russia. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
34. Weir, Fred (15 December 2010). "Alina Kabaeva on Cover of Russia's Vogue in Triumph of Celebrity Politics". Christian Science Monitor, USA. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
35. "Alina Kabaeva - List of Cosmopolitan Russia Articles". Cosmopolitan Russia. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
36. "Alina Kabaeva announced as Gymnastics Ambassador for the 2017 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships". International Federation of Gymnastics. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
37. "Biography of Alina Kabayeva". Sports Reference LLC. 7 April 2017. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
38. NMG Public Council. nm-g.ru
39. Руслан Исмаилов (Ruslan Ismailov); Ольга Братцева (Olga Brattseva) (21 December 2012). "Дети вне политики!" Идеолог, свердловский депутат Госдумы "закона Димы Яковлева": "Дауны останутся в России. Всё!" "Они все – Лахова, Кабаева, Роднина – утратили право называться женщинами" [“Children are out of politics!” Ideologist, Sverdlovsk State Duma deputy of the “Dima Yakovlev Law”: “Downs will remain in Russia. Everything!" “They all - Lakhova, Kabaeva, Rodnina - have lost the right to be called women”]. Znak.com (in Russian). Yekaterinburg. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
40. Система анализа результатов голосований на заседаниях Государственной Думы [The system of analysis of the results of voting at meetings of the State Duma] (in Russian). State Duma. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
41. "Алина Кабаева станет председателем совета директоров "Национальной Медиа Группы"" [Alina Kabaeva will become the chairman of the board of directors of the National Media Group]. TASS (in Russian). 15 September 2014.

External links

• Alina Kabaeva at the International Gymnastics Federation
• Alina Kabaeva Profile (in Russian)
• Alina Kabaeva on Instagram
• Rhythmic Gymnastics Results
• Official website (in Russian)
• Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Alina Kabayeva". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.