Время публикации: 17.07.2015 21:39 | Последнее обновление: 17.07.2015 22:44

This year marks 80 years since the founding of the Spartak sports society. This has been marked by a special book, the heroes of which are over 200 great Spartak stars, from different sports.

On our site, Evgeny Gik explains (in a Russian-language piece) that he was asked to write the section on chessplayers and he did articles on two of the greatest Spartak heroes - Tigran Petrosian and Garry Kasparov - as well as Olga Rubtsova and Ratmir Kholmov. The material and photographs was accepted and checked.

However, when the author recently leafed through the newly-published volume, he saw only one world champion mentioned.

"- But what happened to Kasparov? – I asked, unable to conceal my surprise.

- At the last moment, the stuff on him was taken out, - answered the author/editor, with an apologetic tone. – But I don't know who did it. I did not expect this myself. It must have been someone from the upper echelons.

Thus, one of Spartak's greatest representatives was cold-bloodedly excised from its history. I also did not see Garry's name in the list of Spartak award-winners. Where is his Order of Red Star (people mentioned include Albert Azarian, Boris Lagutin, Boris Maiorov, Nikolai Ozerov, Olga Rubtsova, Nikita Simonian, Alexander Yakushev and others), where is his Order of People's Friendship and his many other awards? After all, very few sportsmen of any sort, let alone Spartak representatives, can rival Kasparov in the number of his Olympiad gold medals and world championships".

Gik's full Russian text can be read here.