Melnikova inspires in Esslingen: appearance causes heated debate!

Melnikova inspires in Esslingen: appearance causes heated debate!

On November 15, 2023, Angelina Melnikova, the Russian gymnastics world champion, caused a sensation at the German Gymnastics League competition in Esslingen. Melnikova competed for TSV Tittmoning-Chemnitz and gave her first sign of her presence in the gym two hours before her appearance. At 1:45 p.m. she entered the indoor arena, initially a little reluctant to face the cameras, but quickly began warming up. The young gymnasts were particularly pleased to have their photo taken with the world champion. But her political stance supporting the Putin regime sparked both enthusiasm and skepticism in the gymnastics community.

How SWR Reportedly, Melnikova's coach, Tatjana Bachmayer, was of the opinion that she underestimated the political dimension of the situation. The police were informed in advance that protests against Melnikova's appearance could not be ruled out, but these did not materialize. The managing director of the German Gymnastics League, Michael Götz, made it clear that Melnikova was acting as a neutral athlete in accordance with the guidelines of the World Gymnastics Federation.

Political tensions and local reactions

The decision to nominate Melnikova caused a lot of discussion. Mayor Matthias Klopfer von Esslingen expressed sharp criticism and described this decision as wrong. He referred to the partnership with the Ukrainian city of Kamianets-Podilskyi and the support for war disabled people, which underlined the political explosiveness of the situation. Melnikova herself did not want to take a position on her political position in an interview with SWR, but instead simply focused on the sporting aspects of her participation.

From a sporting point of view, Melnikova showed impressive performances in her performance and achieved the best points on the uneven bars (14.60) and the beam (14.05). However, her teammate Karina Schönmaier surpassed her in the jump. Overall, Melnikova achieved a score of 55.40 and led her team to victory on the day. But the question of whether she will also compete in the DTL final in Heidelberg remains unclear.

The path to the big stage

Melnikova is not only the focus of the German Gymnastics League. She also competed under a neutral flag at the 2025 World Championships in Jakarta, where she won gold in the all-around final and on vault. The award ceremony was celebrated to the sound of Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto and underlined her status as the world's best gymnast. On Saturday, November 13, 2025, she will once again demonstrate her skills on the fourth and final day of competition in the Gymnastics Bundesliga in the Weil sports park in Esslingen, which promises to cause a great stir in the gymnastics landscape the Esslinger Zeitung reported.

It will be watched with excitement to see how Melnikova will meet the challenges on and off the mat despite her sporting fate. Not only is the sporting performance crucial, the political dimension and the associated reactions will also shape her reserved but remarkable appearance in the gymnastics world.