The Telegram channel of the Cheka-OGPU and Rucriminal.info are launching a large-scale project dedicated to the world championship in Qatar. Matches will start at the end of this month. We will tell not only about the sports side of the popular game. But also “behind-the-scenes” details, which are sometimes much more interesting than goals, points, seconds…
Edward Streltsov. Only at one mention does the heart begin to beat faster. Especially among people who watched his game with their own eyes, and there are those. At the age of 16, he made his debut in Torpedo. At 17 - two "hat-tricks" in a row in matches for the USSR national team. A year later - the best scorer of the national championship. At 19 - the Olympic champion of Melbourne. In the 57th in the list of applicants for the prestigious Ballon d'Or. Fiction!
On May 26, 1958, the 20-year-old miracle forward was arrested just a few days before the start of the World Cup in Sweden. On charges of raping 20-year-old Marina Lebedeva in a dacha outside Moscow. There, together with teammates Boris Tatushin and Mikhail Ogonkov, Streltsov was invited by the owner of the dacha, Eduard Karakhanov.
There is a version that he was the rapist. But Streltsov was convicted. For 12 whole years. Later, the term was reduced to 7 years. In February 1963, they issued a decision on parole. He died of lung cancer on July 22, 1990. He was buried at the Vagankovsky cemetery in Moscow. Football gourmets did not wait for the longed-for duel on the green lawn of the rising "stars" - Pele and Streltsov. June 58th.
Tatushina and Ogonkov left in their hearts, after all, I am their senior comrade: “What have you done, guys ?! The World Championship is just around the corner,” says the legendary Nikita Simonyan. - The team left the group then without Streltsov. But at home, upon returning, we were in for a uniform dressing.
Although for what? The then leadership of the country, led by Khrushchev, deserved a slap in the face. To put it mildly, a stupid person. Not only is he completely illiterate, but he is far from football. Well, at least it didn't interfere. No, he interfered.
I know for sure that Khrushchev instructed: to punish Streltsov "to the fullest extent of the law." Without understanding. They set up suicide. Furtseva came to Nikita, served as secretary of the Central Committee, had weight, influence. Tearfully asked to deal with the "scoundrel." The lady was deeply offended: you see, Edik ignored her beloved daughter. Here the story of the "rape" arrived in time. Atu him! Personal scores to the football player. These "accounts" cost the player his health and career.
Framed Edik? I do not exclude. The same acquaintances of the girls Ogonkova and Tatushina testified at the trial that they voluntarily went with the guys to that ill-fated dacha, where, allegedly, the “rape” happened.
The leaders of the national team gave the players a rest for a couple of days, then the decisive stage of preparation for the world championship in Sweden. They had the right to relax. Restore psychological balance, physical activity is serious. Football players are ordinary people, they should rest.
- By direct order of Khrushchev, who at one time held the post of first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine, ten thousand people were shot, - Nikita Pavlovich continues the story. He didn't calm down on that. Called Stalin. According to Khrushchev's estimates, there were more than two thousand "unreliable" citizens who should be treated the same. To which Stalin literally replied: "Calm down, fool." This is documented, there is correspondence.
I will never forgive, - I gave Crimea to Ukraine. By what right? The tyrant-politician's psyche was influenced by his wife, a native of Western Ukraine. Hence the stupidity with the Crimea.
In football, the then leader of the country also "marked himself." He just torpedoed the national team, putting our best striker in jail. No doubt. Everything was done on emotion. The result is known. A man's life was broken, the team was not allowed to express itself at the World Championships to the fullest. Still, the composition of the team with and without Streltsov is a significant, in this case, fatal difference.
By the way, CSKA and Dynamo claimed Edik, if we continue the theme of “undercurrents”. Moreover, the Dynamo team no less than the army team influenced the system of transitions in those years.
PLAYERS DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE TRAGEDY
Representatives of the army cherished hopes to get a colorful, productive striker. CSKA had leverage. Calling a recruit for military service, for example. Everything, they have a player.
But the army team miscalculated. Not taken into account, ZIL director Borodin was a member of the Central Committee. Yes, even a passionate fan of "Torpedo", adored Edik.
Torpedo players gathered in the hall of the sports base in Myachikovo, where they lived and trained before the matches. Everyone was looking forward to the resolution of the conflict.
Streltsov arrives. “Well, how is Edik?! Are you staying?" partners ran up to him. “The army is the army, and the Central Committee is the Central Committee,” the attacker joked. From the "Torpedo" did not go anywhere.
Tatushin and Ogonkov, they said, did not know what was happening that night at the dacha. I think they didn't lie. They might not know what exactly happened to Edik with the supposedly “offended” Marina Lebedeva. And did it happen at all? And the version with the owner of the dacha, the pilot Karakhanov, just one of the most probable. He is most likely directly involved in what Streltsov was unfairly accused of. Karakhanov's blood group matched...
After leaving prison, Edik remained himself, without changing internally. A simple, good person in communication. Relations with him are friendly, based on deep mutual respect and understanding of each other.
I happened to be visiting the Streltsovs, their house is not far from the Kurskaya metro station. Edik's wife, Raya, created an atmosphere of comfort, looked after us, communicated sincerely. We drank a little during these meetings. Strangely, films are being made about Streltsov, and, as a rule, Anatolyich's wife is not even mentioned. She was a wonderful woman!
Until now, I think, the details of the "dark" story with Edik have not been disclosed. I never asked him questions, I thought it was unethical, but it's just embarrassing to ask. Streltsov also did not want to stir up details. Unpleasant things must be treated with understanding.
Alas, in those years, the employees of the football federation did not stand up for Edik. Of course, many of us would have signed a petition in defense of Streltsov in the name of Kremlin officials. But colleagues in football showed no initiative.
Strangely, the Torpedo men did not visit their partner and comrade in prison. In addition to Viktor Shustikov, and my mother, Sofya Frolovna. Teammates could and should have supported a friend and football partner. I know one thing: Edik told his mother in letters that he was not guilty, he did not rape anyone.
Khrushchev, not only did he give the Crimea, it is not clear to whom. Still just "killed" the national team. On the eve of the most important tournament for us - the World Cup. Sent the best striker to jail. Don't blame me for repeating myself. But it's true. The bitterness still hasn't gone...
HOW STRELTSOV DIE
“Then I didn’t even imagine that Edik had health problems,” said Nadezhda Mikhailovna Fateeva, the sister of Eduard Streltsov’s wife, Raisa Mikhailovna, frankly. - After all, he regularly passed medical examinations together with the Torpedo players. Negative deviations should be tracked. Prescribe treatment if needed. It is, as it is now clear, very much needed.
In January 1990 Raya and Edik were at the ZIL clinic to undergo an examination. Only then the diagnosis was determined, and then not immediately. Why didn’t the “valiant” doctors do anything earlier to try to “kill” the nascent disease in the bud? Questions, questions. Unfortunately, there are no answers to them. It remains to ask: what is the level of domestic medicine? Just miserable. We, his family, have lost a loved one, and football has lost its genius. So Streltsov was called not only at home, but also abroad.
I personally knew the Torpedo doctor, it seemed that he was a high-quality, experienced specialist. He should not miss the disease, thereby ruining Edik. Until now, the thought is itching: how did this happen ?! The tragedy was aggravated by the fact that Edik is the favorite of the whole family.
When he got to Kashirka, the doctor said: he would live for a maximum of six months.
Edik did not want his acquaintances, friends, even the closest people to see him in such a painful condition. Natural desire. Perhaps he lived with the memories of his playing career. Powerful, unstoppable fighter. Here, in a hospital bed. Unusual, uncomfortable.
He himself never complained, moreover, he did not complain about his health. Not in his nature. Native people - wife, son, sisters, other relatives did not hear the groans. The male. He did not tolerate self-pity.
Raya was almost always there. I spent the day and night at Kashirka. From work - home, cook food for Edik. Then immediately to the clinic to feed her beloved husband. Twice, thrice a day I visited with freshly prepared food. Streltsov did not touch hospital food, he was very fond of everything homemade.
"THE DRIVED EDIK TO THE MORGUE"
The attending physician, in order, apparently, to cheer up the patient, offered: “Maybe brandy?”. Yes, there were exceptions. Although alcohol in a medical institution was forbidden. “I don’t want to,” - from such an answer darkness reigned in my soul. He asked his wife, Raya, not to disturb her mother, Sofya Frolovna, not to bring her to the clinic. In order not to injure a loved one once again.
Of course, I also went to Kashirka. I also caught the moment when Edik, in fact, was dying. Rai and I were frankly told that everything was bad. Hiding is stupid. Torpedovites came to congratulate on his birthday. I remember Grisha Yanets visited, his permanent partner on the veterans team. Other players have arrived. Then Raya and the guys briefly left the hospital ward.
Edik was lying on the bed, connected to the lung machine. He was fully aware of what was happening to him and around him. Was not unconscious. Suddenly he resolutely began to rip off medical equipment, destroy the wires connecting to the lung apparatus. It's a terrible sight, I confess. Poor man, he suffered from such lack of freedom, he wanted to end this once and for all. Almost in hysterics, she began to call doctors for help.
Closer to the fatal night for us, Edik calmed down, no longer said anything. He looked at me very penetratingly, as if his whole life flashed before his eyes. The look, however, is not absent, quite alive.
There seemed to be hope for a cure. H no, the miracle didn't happen. The doctor asked to take Edik's lifeless body to the morgue. Raya and I took a gurney, took our loved one where we were told.
Everyone in the hospital loved him. The nurses paid full attention, it's a sin to complain. In a single ward, the necessary conditions were created for proper rest and treatment. But, it is impossible to fight the disease with neglected time and doctors. Late. She spoke in detail about the unprofessionalism of doctors, their indifference.
Football player Streltsov, like many of us, did not go to clinics once again. Sometimes in extreme cases, at the insistence of the Aesculapius, he used analgin and antibiotics. That's all treatment.
Edik's untimely death is, first of all, on the conscience of club doctors. You can't say anything, "very carefully, extremely carefully" monitored the health of their players. The player was brought to the grave, it seemed, in the prime of life, talent. They just blinked. It's my personal opinion. Thanks to them for everything!
Alexey Matveev
Source: www.rucriminal.info
