Big scandal!

2 weeks ago the Russian federation took the decision ? the 2007 nationals will be in Vladikavkaz, Ossetia. On Monday, less than 3 weeks before the nationals it took a new decision ? Moscow.

Ossetians (politicians, fans, all...) accuse the federation of being biased. Arsen Fadzaev (Ossetian member of the Russian parliament) wrote a letter of protest to the president of the National Olympic Committee. He said, he would write another one to Russia president Putin and he would submit the problem to discussion in the parliament. They are rumors that the Ossetians are going to boycott the nationals.

Background of the conflict:
The Russian nationals has the function of world team trials. In wrestling circles, Ossetia is known as the second (after Turkey) most unfair country when hosting any international event. The last 2 months Dagestanis were talking that at a national championship held in Ossetia, the referees would power the home wrestlers, would make them champs. As result, in the world team there would be more Ossetians than Dagestanis.

The Ossetians (incl. Fadzaev in an interview) accuse the federation of having been influenced by ?a Dagestani lobby group?. In some comments, Suleiman Kerimov, the sponsor of the federation who is native of Dagestan, is said to have bribed the federation into relocating of the nationals

All these questions are discussed in mass media and on forums. Interestingly enough, on the web site of the federation, there isn't any single word about any relocation. The big men in the federation seem to have chosen an ?appropriate? time to announce the relocation and to disappear in order to avoid any comments. They are in Switzerland now for the inauguration of the FILA new headquarter.

it's amazing that we can get this info. thanks a ton akzent.

this forum is by far the best.

Russian site put out a statement saying the last minute change was made because a large number of spectators will be attending the Nationals and Ossetia's sports complex will be unable to seat everyone safely. Also, it was decided that due to Ossetia-Dagestani rivalry it was better to host the tourney on neutral grounds

Finally, it says there will be more help for Ossetia in the future to build appropriate facilities to host a large tourney and the World Cup next year was proposed to be held in Ossetia as a consolation.

the first explanation made me think that the change was a major screw job. this one seems much more practical.