The former head coach of the Russian women's gymnastics team, who stepped down after London 2012, had continued to work with the 18-year-old former world champion - the most decorated gymnast of at last summer's Olympics with gold in uneven bars, silver in the team event, and bronze in the all-around and floor competition - but is now expected to lead the Brazilian team to their home Games, Rio 2016.

As well as Mustafina, Alexandrov has coached numerous world and Olympic champions, including America's Atlanta 1996 champion Dominique Moceanu and Athens 2004 silver medallist Mohini Bhardwaj, three-time Olympic gold medallist Svetlana Boginskaya of Belarus, and Russia's three-time Olympic gold medallist and two-time world all-around champion Dmitry Bilozerchev.

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