Today will be the funeral of the legendary Soviet hockey player, Russian coach and TV commentator Sergei Gimaev. He is especially mourned in Ufa, where his childhood and youth, Moscow, where the athlete made a career in the camp of the army, and Kazan, because Sergei Nailievich did not hide his Tatar origin. A well-known journalist, head of the department of national projects of MIA Rossiya Segodnya (RIA Novosti) Radik Amirov responded to the death of the legend of Russian sports in the column of Realnoe Vremya. Our columnist, recalling his first and subsequent meetings with Gimaev, talks about the "Tatar" nature of the coach and his attitude to work and family.
“Of course, come, Radik! Come on tomorrow, I'm waiting"
Unexpectedly and dumbfounded - the news of the death of Sergei Nailievich Gimaev. As always, you think: “I wish I could see him and talk to him about the end of the season,” and then - bam! - and with us there is no longer the voice of domestic hockey ...
Now I am browsing sports and not only sites - and almost everywhere every columnist or sports journalist writes about Gimaev as if Sergey Nailievich was his close friend, if not friend. It was as if each of my hundreds or two colleagues went through world championships, world cups, thousands of regular season matches with him. And here you think - Sergei Gimaev was just like that: open, honest, he respected each colleague and nurtured a collegial feeling of goodwill towards each of us without any arrogance.
Fifteen years ago, I found his phone and called about an interview. Then I worked in the department of the Tatar people of the magazine "National" - a brilliant publication on the national theme. The publication, which was published with the direct support of Tatarstan, lasted a year. The editor-in-chief of the National was Rustam Arifjanov.
“Almost everywhere every columnist or sports journalist writes about Gimaev as if Sergey Nailievich was his close friend, if not friend. It was as if each of my hundreds or two colleagues went through world championships, world cups, thousands of regular season matches with him. Photo gazprom-neft.ru
In a word, I called Sergey Gimaev. I say: Sergei Nailievich, we are interested in Tatars, can we talk about your Tatarness, what is there to hide, because it happens that some of our people say that like I’m not a Tatar, I’m generally a man of the world ...
He says: “Of course, come, Radik! What are you?! Come on tomorrow, I'm waiting. Yes, let's go straight to CSKA, yes, to Leningradka. Wow, how can I not be a Tatar - I am a Tatar, my father's name was Nail! Wow, I think, the legend of domestic hockey from my first call easily invites me to his place, some of ours directly - “let's go”, he says, “what are you”, he says.
The next day I rushed to CSKA. He met me, showed me everything he knew, how he educates young people, how they play, what are the advances in Russian hockey. And the word does not allow to say - speaks and speaks.
Here are my students! - Sergei Nailievich shows photographs of Sergei Samsonov, Oleg Kvasha, Boris Mironov and many others. - Someone plays at home, someone in the NHL. Normal guys, ours! We have, you know, a great potential, a big country, people are and will be!
He said it with pride. So a father is proud of his children.
“Where are there no Tatars?! We are everywhere!”
Then he told how he got married.
Well, an acquaintance says to me: “Sergey, my wife and I have a friend, let's introduce them.” Come on, I answer. We met, started dating, and I'm always at the training camp - flights, training. Nevertheless, it has already become clear that Natalya is mine! .. Smart, good hostess, cooks perfectly. Do you know what her last name is? She is from Ryazan, and her maiden name is Bakhmetyeva. Here's a photo - take a look!
Sergei Nailevich, maybe she is from the Kasimov Tatars?! This is our spitting image! Only she is light, unlike the Tatars of Kasimov.
Everything can be! Is this the issue?! Heh, I thought of that too! Where are there no Tatars?! We are everywhere!
Sergey Gimaev with his wife Natalya, 2012. Photo gazeta.ru
Sergey Nailevich spoke for a long time about his parents, how they taught him to live. Character, he said then, I have a Tatar - I'm stubborn!
Surprisingly, he didn't complain about anything. Neither the absence or lack of money in hockey, in sports in general, nor the fact that our athletes bring down the ocean at the first call. He spoke harshly and very to the point. Sometimes very tough. For example, when Gimaev invited me to a match, and I was late. Sergei Nailevich met me at the entrance to CSKA - come on, he waves his hand, the game has already begun!
What is it? Where are we running, Sergei Nailevich?! Just started...
You came to hockey! - he stopped and scolded me as a snotty boy. - You came to hockey, remember that. You came to CSKA. You came to the game. You came to the Sports Palace!!! Remember this. You came to hockey. And so we lose...
To whom - these collective farmers ?!
Will you understand that you came to hockey?! - Gimaev definitely wound up. - We are not losing to the collective farmers, not to the workshop - we are losing to the team of our league. Hurry up!
“Remember - he is the father of Valera Kharlamov”
A little later, during the break, he again led me through the corridors of the Sports Palace. He walked quickly and suddenly stopped. He said: do you know who it is - this man in a black jacket? I shook my head - how do I know this old man, who is he at all ?!
Remember - he is the father of Valera Kharlamov ... Wait a minute ... Good evening, Boris Sergeevich! He gave the old man both hands. - How are you, Boris Sergeevich? Are we moving?! Well done. Oh, let's lose! But we fight, we fight!
This “fight”, in my opinion, was one of his important features. I repeat, unlike many athletes and experts, Sergei Nailievich never complained about anyone. Spoke and did as it is - directly and openly. Whether it's in training, at the game or in live.
“This “fight”, in my opinion, was one of his important features. I repeat, unlike many athletes and experts, Sergei Nailievich never complained about anyone. He spoke and did as he was - directly and openly. Photo newsvl.ru
Once, a goal was scored against CSKA in the last seconds.
That's where you run to change seven seconds before the end of the game?? - he reported young player. - Where are you, tell me, are you running? To the bench?! Don't you see - they fought back and run to your half, and you rush headlong to change. Tired?! Then you will rest! It's because of you that the middle was left bare. And these people picked it up and let's play it up - one, two, and you wipe your snot on the bench, and the puck dangles in our net.
Then we worked with him on Winter Games in Vancouver. I was completely busy at the Russian House, and Sergey Nailievich commented on the games of our team and ... its complete failure in Vancouver. It was later, after the failure and the cuffs received from the brilliant Canadian team, our hockey players broke their sticks and cameras to our cameramen (you see, the journalists asked Alexander Ovechkin too “an uncomfortable question”). It was then that sports circles let loose all the dogs on Vyacheslav Bykov. It was then debriefing and cutting off heads.
Gotta fight! - Sergey Nailevich said then. - Life is going. We must fight. We can.
And in a couple of years they were able to kick the Canadians in the final and become world champions - through blood and sweat, through "you have to fight!".
Sergei Nailevich lived for hockey. I have always lived for hockey. In fact, he lived with his family. Sport for him was work, and family was family - in the first place. It’s a pity I can’t convey the feelings with which Sergei Nailievich spoke about his wife, son, daughter, granddaughters. He lived by them.
Radik Amirov
Reference
Radik Basyrovich Amirov- Russian journalist, head of the department of national projects of MIA "Russia Today" ("RIA Novosti"), Chief Editor portal "Russia for all". Columnist of Realnoe Vremya.
- Born January 13, 1970 in the village. Tatarsky Saraktash, Saraktashsky district of the Orenburg region.
- Education: Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov, faculty of journalism.
- He worked as the head of the press service in the Council of Muftis of Russia.
- He was a correspondent for the newspapers Moscow News, New Generation, Trud, Tribuna, National, Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
"Did they take him to the hospital?" - “No, he died in the locker room ...” How Sergey Gimaev left
His friend and colleague Dmitry Fedorov tells about the last hours of Sergey Gimaev's life.His friend and colleague Dmitry Fedorov tells about the last hours of Sergey Gimaev's life.
Do you understand what is going on here...
I'm talking to Dmitry Fedorov, who is in charge of hockey broadcasts on Match TV and KHL TV. A close person and colleague for Sergei Gimaev. It is very painful and difficult to speak, but I ask the question:
- How did it happen, Dima?
- In Tula, the match "Hockey Legends" was held. During the game, Sergei Nailevich became ill.
He didn't fall, he just felt unwell. I went to the nurse, and together they went to the locker room. Nobody worried. Now Gimaev will be helped. Maybe the pressure has gone up.
After the game, no one is allowed into the locker room: “Resuscitation is working there.” And then they said that's it. Sergei Nailevich is lying dead there.
Nobody could believe it at all. Denis Kazansky told me about this. I call Sasha Guskov back: “Did they take him to the hospital?”
No, not to the hospital. Died in the dressing room.
- "Wait, did they say that's all?"
I asked him ten times on the phone. - "Dim, what are you ... Yes, that's it, he died."
Maybe he complained about some kind of ailment before the game?
No, he didn’t complain about anything, - says Sasha Guskov. - Everything was fine. For everyone, this is a shock. I am now out on the track. I'm driving and I don't understand what's going on. Just like that - and there is no person.
- When I talked with Sergei Nailievich in the summer, he said that he had gone to a military hospital. But he didn't give details. Heart?
- Yes, in August he went to the operation. I have no right to say what was there - I promised. But not the heart. And not what leads to lethal outcome.
Let's find out the medical report. However, Sergei Nailevich is not exactly complaining. But somehow he mentioned that he was tired of frequent flights. He flew to Vladivostok ...
- The other day I called Gimaev for an interview. He picked up the phone the third time: “I'm actually in the Arctic. But let's talk."
- Not exactly a complaint. But this comment was a couple of weeks ago. Like, the head is cloudy.
But no one even thought! I have often seen Gimaev lately. Cheerful, smiling. He usually said if something was wrong and he felt bad. He was the only one who told me about the operation ... He did not complain, no.
- Was he in all plans, was he ready to work to the fullest?
- Yes. Moreover, he has already taken care of the World Cup. He said that if no one goes, and the question is open, he is ready to work in the studio on full program.
After all, when people feel bad, what do they say? "I'll see how I feel." There was nothing of the kind here. Maybe he confessed something to his family? At work, Gimaev was full of life plans.
- Words cannot describe what this loss means for Match TV ...
- I was supposed to work tomorrow. Was on the air. If you didn’t feel well, probably, you wouldn’t go to the match in Tula? Would have called us: "Don't put it guys, replace it."
We always replaced, if there was such a request. There was a special relationship with Sergei Nailievich, this is understandable.
They were waiting for him in the "Igroteka" ... And now everyone has an incredible state. When I was informed, I did not know for an hour what to do and what to do. We need to talk about it on the air, but I don't know how to say it. Whom to order?
We already knew everything about what had happened at the first break. But they couldn't say. Only in the second. How to approach this?
Now there was a special issue on Match TV. We wrote some text together in the news via intercom. This is such a blow that the words did not add up.
- Gimaev was like a father to everyone who knew him.Yes ... And pay attention, no one from the team wrote first in in social networks. For everyone, this is a huge shock. First, people wrote, as I understand it, who did not know Sergei Nailievich very closely. None of the colleagues and friends had the strength to put words out of letters.
We are all shocked. This is a Teacher and Friend for the vast majority of employees. We have a highly competitive environment. And in order to be a Friend in it, you need to have special human qualities. Gimaev had them.
I was just watching the news that Natasha Clark was reading. I see her biting her lips, almost crying. And after the broadcast burst into tears. We wrote the lyrics together. How to say it? How to pronounce? I don’t know how Natasha spent this episode.
Special news release in connection with the death of Match TV commentator and expert Sergey Gimaev pic.twitter.com/wOytBYVa6A
Match TV (@MatchTV) March 18, 2017
The guys in the KHL TV studio didn't know what to say. Dozens of times each other called back, asked again. Dozens of calls from everywhere. Nobody can believe. For everyone, this is not the loss of a colleague, but of a close loved one.
P.S. After the conversation, a message came to the phone from Dima: “Imagine, I’m driving in the car now. Fixed the baseball cap. And he realized that this was his gift. He brought me back from the World Cup. Black. With the emblem of the tournament. He was not only sincere, but also caring.
In 20 minutes.
“I have to appoint someone to tomorrow’s broadcast instead of him, but I can’t. I can't call anyone. I just don't know what to do. You know, when they say that it is impossible to replace a person, it is often a figure of speech. And here we need a specific replacement for a specific tomorrow. And I can't…”
source: "Soviet Sport"
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Tretyak, Kharlamov, Maltsev, Fetisov, Malkin, Ovechkin- the names of these stars of domestic hockey are known even to those who are not fond of sports. But there is another category of athletes whose names are not well known, but their devotion to their favorite game is admirable.
Sergey Gimaev, whom modern hockey fans in Russia knew as Sergei Nailievich, was a very strong hockey player.
In the 1970s and 1980s, becoming a base player for the invincible CSKA is already saying a lot. With the army team, Gimaev became the champion eight times Soviet Union won the European Cup. He played next to Tretiak, Fetisov, Kasatonov, Larionov, Makarov, Krutov. Arriving at the army team, I found there Kharlamova, Petrova And Mikhailova. A reliable defender with an excellent shot, however, rarely got into the USSR national team. Although during the matches of CSKA in North America played against the world's top stars, including Wayne Gretzky.
After ending his career, he led for 20 years hockey school CSKA, one of the strongest in the country, worked with the junior and youth teams of Russia.
The voice you want to hear
But for the general public, Gimaev opened up when he came to television as a hockey expert.
There are well-deserved venerable athletes who, becoming experts, can, like academics, explain the details of what is happening on the ice. It's educational, but incredibly boring.
Gimaev was completely different. He not only explained to the viewer the shades of the game invisible to the eye, he infected people with his enthusiasm and his love for hockey.
In 2013, when the Russian team lost to the US team in the quarterfinals with a score of 3: 8 at the World Championships, Gimaev was painful to watch. Analyzing the details of what happened on the air, he experienced them as if he himself had lost, and was ready to burn with shame for what had happened.
He did not comment, he lived for hockey, which he sincerely loved.
Honest and frank
Sergey Nailevich admitted that he watches a lot of hockey. Not only those matches that are required for work, but everything that has enough time. Gimaev could easily wake up at night to watch the next NHL game, even though he returned late from the actual broadcast, and the next day there is hard work ahead.
If he did not like something in hockey, he cut the truth-womb without any diplomacy. He could speak sharply against hockey functionaries who, in his opinion, were acting wrong. Could sharply besiege the current hockey stars, if their behavior, in the opinion of Gimaev, was unworthy of their favorite game.
Everyone knew how devoted Gimaev was to CSKA, for which he played, where for many years he headed the school, where he was recently an adviser in the scout service.
But no one could reproach expert Gimaev for being biased. Sergei Nailevich never indulged in cheap curtsy to the army. Sometimes he was even more picky with them - this showed his love for the club, for which he wished only the best.
Last match
In 2008, in Quebec, Gimaev, together with Roman Skvortsov
"Pure ice
Here we are bound by the same fate
A friend will come to the rescue in trouble,
After all, we know that sometimes in the game,
There is bitter ice ... "
These lines are from Oleg Anofriev's song "Blue Ice". As it turned out, my favorite song Sergei Gimaev. On March 18, this ice became really bitter. Sergei Nailich was gone. Our Nailich.
Ringing void. What everyone feels now, for whom Gimaev and Russian hockey were synonymous. Few people remember his first broadcasts. It seems that Nailich has always been on TV. You can’t immediately tell where that turning point came, when from a simple expert, of whom there are many in our hockey, he stepped into the category of people whose opinions are listened to. Moreover, absolutely everyone listens: ordinary fans, journalists, club leaders and even governors.
The fourth power - that's what the press was once called. Today, when the role of journalists has changed, few people can say that their opinion really matters. Gimaev, on the other hand, had the power of words. He himself understood this very well and even admitted that once again he would not name the player who made a mistake, realizing that the owner of the club could hear it and not renew the contract with the hockey player. However, he was never afraid to speak the truth. Not even “speak”, but “cut” - as only he could.
Gimaev could be tough, direct. Sometimes he started with half a turn, and it doesn’t matter where: in the press center, talking with colleagues, or on the air in front of millions. Players and coaches could get from him, but, amazingly, no one harbored a grudge against him. Once, after the World Championships in Minsk, he walked along Evgeny Kuznetsov, and he responded ironically about the experts on Twitter. But later, having cooled down, he admitted that he was wrong, and met with Gimaev more than once in Washington, where Sergei Nailievich's daughter lives.
Tell the truth to your face and still have so many friends in hockey world, how much Gimaev had - not only a great luxury in our time, but also, in some way, a gift. He won over anyone, while not fawning, not trying to please. For this, probably, he was appreciated by everyone with whom he at least once exchanged a couple of phrases. Hot-tempered, but quick-witted, tough, but honest - that's why they didn't take offense at him, understanding all these emotions from the desire to make our hockey a little better.
When a person of this magnitude leaves, they often say “he was like a father to me” or “I considered him my teacher.” Gimaev, on the other hand, was not perceived as a father, although he was suitable for many as fathers. For us journalists, he was more like a senior comrade. Those who spoke with the young in their language, who were not shy in expressions. He was honest, but at the same time he did not teach, did not look down, although he had every right to do so. Gimaev was not a mentor in the usual sense of the word, but how many people listened to him with their mouths open - do not count.
The way his mere appearance in the press center caused excitement among journalists can be called Gimaev's magic. They immediately surrounded him and considered it necessary to ask Sergei Nailievich at least one question or just talk about life. And what is most surprising, he did not refuse anyone, and even more - he listened attentively to his interlocutor and got involved in an argument, even if a novice correspondent was standing in front of him. What about journalists! In the same way, as if with old acquaintances, Gimaev communicated with ordinary fans whom he saw for the first time in his life. Therefore, he was simply Nailich for everyone. So own, so dear.
And who else could, like Gimaev, communicate in his own way with the head coach of the Russian national team? At the World Championships, after each match, he stepped aside with Oleg Znark, expressed his opinion, gave advice, and he listened, disagreed somewhere, but certainly appreciated Sergei Nailievich. And when they were in one coaching staff at the All-Star Game in Ufa, Gimaev managed the almost impossible - to cheer up Znark, to show that even such a stern-looking coach can smile. He teased the head coach of SKA, somewhere he took the initiative into his own hands, jokingly “strangled” the judges, in general, he put on a real show, without which this holiday would not have been so bright.
When we look back at the most iconic TV reports, we always go back to 2008. May. Quebec. Final Russia - Canada. Our team, which had not won gold for 15 years, was losing ground to the founders of hockey during the match, but Gimaev did not get tired of repeating: if we play like this, we will definitely win back! And so it happened, and Ilya Kovalchuk became the hero, about whom Sergei Nailievich said throughout the broadcast that he should take the game upon himself and throw, throw, throw.
Roman Skvortsov's phrase about the fact that life is the best playwright sunk into the soul of most fans, but without a faithful partner on the air, whom he called only Buddy, that legendary finale is impossible to imagine.
He was often presented as a well-deserved coach of Russia, but he never worked with the clubs, limiting himself to the junior team, for which many of his pupils played. He really found himself on television. He will be remembered as the man who told us about hockey. Simple, affordable, irresistible. If for someone the work of an expert is an attempt to remind oneself, a kind of staging post, then Nailich enjoyed the very opportunity to talk about his favorite game. Well, he became a truly popular commentator after hockey fans from all over the country demanded the return of Gimaev in 2013, who was suspended for criticizing the management of the channel on the air.
The fact that the tragedy that claimed Gimaev's life occurred in Tula during a veterans' match reflects the way of life that Sergei Nailievich led in recent years. He flew as much as young people do not fly. Today he is in Moscow, tomorrow in Vladivostok, the day after tomorrow in Chelyabinsk, and then back to the capital, because he has air. It was impossible to keep up with his movements around the country. Even at 62, Gimaev did not think to slow down. He continued to play hockey without making any concessions to himself. Hockey took him away, leaving us without his voice.
On March 18, 2017, the famous Soviet and Russian hockey player and coach, brilliant TV commentator and hockey expert Sergey Nailevich Gimaev
On that evening of March 18, few hockey fans who found themselves in front of the TV could believe the terrible news about the sudden death of everyone's favorite, a talented hockey player, an excellent coach, an interesting presenter and just a wonderful person. This is exactly what Sergey Gimaev was like, the legendary “five” in CSKA in 1976-1985.
Sergei Nailievich Gimaev was born on January 1, 1955 in Pruzhany, Belarus. Father future star hockey - a military pilot by profession - moved a lot. After the war, his regiment was stationed in Ukraine, where he met his future wife. Soon the young family moved to Poland, where they had a daughter, and then to the Byelorussian SSR, which became the homeland for Sergei Gimaev. The last place of service of Nail Gimaev was Ufa.
Sergey was an excellent student and was actively involved in sports - without any special preferences until 1966, when he decided to play hockey. 11 years, even by those standards, was too long to have the prospect of becoming professional player. Nevertheless, having excellent physical data and training for 6-8 hours a day, Gimaev was able to get a ticket to big hockey. It is also noteworthy that hockey lessons had almost no effect on academic success. young hockey player- his report card with marks practically did not suffer from hard work in hockey, which is not very compatible with studies.
High growth - 195 cm - and long arms determined Gimaev's playing role - protection. The young right-handed player showed enviable results and after the junior team "Salavat Yulaev" was transferred to the Kuibyshev SKA. At the end of two seasons, with 94 points in the "goal plus pass" system, Sergey Gimaev received a star ticket to CSKA, along with the number 5 sweater.
In the capital's army club, Gimaev played for 9 years, becoming a nine-time champion of the USSR, a two-time winner of the USSR Cup and a multiple winner of the European Champions Cup. Three times Sergey Gimaev was included in the list of the best defenders of the USSR Championship.
Mine last season in the USSR Championship, Sergey Gimaev played as part of the Leningrad SKA, after which he graduated from professional sports at the age of 31 sports career. Despite a tempting offer for the position of head coach of the Sverdlovsk SKA, Sergei Nilievich decided to stay with his family in Moscow, where he graduated from the Pedagogical Institute and began a brilliant coaching career.
Since the early 2000s, Sergei Gimaev began to appear on television. On the channels Russia, Sport-1, Match-TV and, of course, KHL TV, he comments on matches and participates in analytical programs as an expert. His pleasant bass voice is easily recognizable, but the original manner of expressing and defending his own opinion and point of view on many aspects of the modern world and Russian hockey. At the same time, Sergei Nailievich always remained a polite and correct interlocutor, never allowing himself anything superfluous, no matter how significant the level of knowledge of his interlocutor was.
Gimaev's comments and opinion adorned every hockey game he played. No matter how trite it may sound, but his voice attracted attention, somehow magically forced to listen and ... understand your favorite game even better.
Sergei Gimaev died the way every dedicated hockey player would like to die. On March 18, he went to the veterans tournament in Tula. He had a choice - to report from Moscow from the match CSKA - Lokomotiv, but Gimaev chose to participate in the game of veterans, in which he was in his place, like many decades ago. Before the game, the doctors were concerned about his health, but Gimaev rushed to the site ...
A minute in memory of Sergei Gimaev before the start of the match Ak Bars - Avangard March 19, 2017
Sergei Nailievich Gimaev left us at the age of 63. This is very little, even taking into account the fact that he managed to do so much for the Soviet and Russian sports. The match "Ak Bars - Avangard" began with a minute of memory in honor of legendary player, coach and hockey player. Our memory of him will be the last and the best award for Sergey Gimaev. And yet we will miss our beloved voice for a very long time, as well as the emotionality and sincerity to which we all have become accustomed.
Farewell to Sergey Gimaev will take place on March 21 at ice palace CSKA, after which a funeral service and funeral will take place at the Khimki cemetery.
For information about funeral homes and funeral agents, please see the Funeral Homes section of our directory.