From Russia With Love - Winter 2012/13

[quiqie]

And the baby-boom continues - Alexander Zhulin becomes a dad for a second time. He and his wife, Natalia Mikhailova, have welcomed their daughter Ekaterina today.

[lulu]

And the baby-boom continues - Alexander Zhulin becomes a dad for a second time. He and his wife, Natalia Mikhailova, have welcomed their daughter Ekaterina today.

I didn't even know she was pregnant. Congrats to them!

[Jeschke]

Mikhailova? : Once more - Lost talent :

but congrats to them

[Vash01]

And the baby-boom continues - Alexander Zhulin becomes a dad for a second time. He and his wife, Natalia Mikhailova, have welcomed their daughter Ekaterina today.

That's his 3rd wife, right? Usova was the only one that did not have a child with him.

What is Navka doing these days?

[babayaga]

This is absurd. They saw promise in someone and are willing to bet on him. They are doing it within their rules of selection. Why the outrage?

Was there such outrage when 4th placed Slutskaya was selected over 3rd placed Sokolova for 1998 Europeans and over 2nd placed Soldatova for 1998 Olympics?

I hope there is no change, simply because doing so would undermine the Russian Fed doing what's within its power to do.

You have a point of course, but I think I understand why the outrage. The problem with the Russian society in general is that in public's view, everything is corrupt, athletic federations included. The athletes and fans do not believe that the decisions made by the figure skating federation for example, are only based on fair and objective criteria, and not on whose coach has more power and influence. I highly doubt that Kovtun would have been sent to Euros if his coach was someone relatively unimportant, he would have been sent to junior worlds with all his potential and that's it. This is my understanding of why most people are unhappy about the situation.

[Macassar88]

In short YES,but allot more went on

Really? That surprises me - Bobrova and Soloviev seem to do almost everything a bit better. Maybe they lack a bit of the speed, but they project emotion much better. Their elements on the whole seem better as well.

[homura]

Nikolai Morozov: “They just ruined Menshov’s life”
http://fskating.com/2013/01/nikolai-...hovs-life.html

[joeperryfan]

... The problem with the Russian society in general is that in public's view, everything is corrupt, athletic federations included...

And not just in Russia, unfortunately in many sports the general frame-of-mind amongst non-russians is that if a Russian wins it's because of politics or corruption, it's really sad for the athletes.

[Jeschke]

Nikolai Morozov: “They just ruined Menshov’s life”
http://fskating.com/2013/01/nikolai-...hovs-life.html

hehe, morozov with clear words...

maybe now he will have some friends more, even for some days

[pani]

I like Vika and Ruslan more then R-T and M-Kh, but whom they must replace in team Russia in Morozov opinion? Maybe his girlfriend?

[Moka-Ananas]

Nikolai Morozov: “They just ruined Menshov’s life”
http://fskating.com/2013/01/nikolai-...hovs-life.html

I don't get this...Morozov, Mishin and Kudriavtsev were in the council IIRC...and they all voted against sending Kovtun. So why does everyone say the coaches' council decided on Kovtun?

[IceIceBaby]

I don't get this...Morozov, Mishin and Kudriavtsev were in the council IIRC...and they all voted against sending Kovtun. So why does everyone say the coaches' council decided on Kovtun?

Me neither. I thought Morozov et al. voted against sending Menshov???

[yaya124]

I don't get this...Morozov, Mishin and Kudriavtsev were in the council IIRC...and they all voted against sending Kovtun. So why does everyone say the coaches' council decided on Kovtun?

Because they are at the minority?

[Domshabfan]

I don't get this...Morozov, Mishin and Kudriavtsev were in the council IIRC...and they all voted against sending Kovtun. So why does everyone say the coaches' council decided on Kovtun?

first decision to sent kovtun was a split decision 5-4 or something, second time not to change the decision was 8-1 (we now know who that one was from the interview).

Secondly here Morosov is showing hos hatred towards Kovtun rather than being fair to Menshov.

[kwanfan1818]

The 5-4 vote was in the Coaches' Council. The 8-1 vote was in the Executive Committee of the Russian Fed on whether to accept the recommendation of the Coaches' Committee. The dissenter in the Executive council was Oleg Nilov, who triggered the appeal to the sports ministry.

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...=1#post3781538

[Sylvia]

Nikol Gosviani made the SP TES for worlds (and euros) in Poland today! She scored 51.16 with a TES of 29.50. She had a 1 point deduction for something.

Here's her SP (cross-posted in the competition thread in Kiss and Cry): http://youtube.com/watch?v=wrIawTZNcdU
Junior Ladies FS is tomorrow.

[DaiKozOda]

Interview with Konstantin Menshov from R-Sport: http://rsport.ru/interview/20130111/639113406.html

[VarBar]

Interview with Konstantin Menshov from R-Sport: http://rsport.ru/interview/20130111/639113406.html

As for the Russian Cup final, I'm thinking. I just have heard many times from our Federation - Go to Final, there will be decided your fate. How many times I've won this final, not even remember ...
- I counted - five times.

So this is not the first time Menshov gets dumped for other skaters?

Menshov sounds like a very nice person. Go Konstantin.

[Katarzyna]

That's his 3rd wife, right? Usova was the only one that did not have a child with him.

Wasn’t he dating Navka, Gritchuk and Gordeeva during his marriage with Usowa? Guess poor Zhulin was simply too tired when coming back home to Usova to produce any offspring!

Was there such outrage when 4th placed Slutskaya was selected over 3rd placed Sokolova for 1998 Europeans and over 2nd placed Soldatova for 1998 Olympics?

This is not a good comparison, as Slutskaya’s results in the GP were at least equal or even better compared to Sokolova’s in the GP and certainly better than Soldatova’s. In my book it’s ok to base nominations for the 3rd spot to Major events also on other placements during the season if announced to skaters in time and if these events are on a comparable level, which is not the case in the whole Kovtun – Menshov affair.

This is absurd. They saw promise in someone and are willing to bet on him. They are doing it within their rules of selection. Why the outrage?
I hope there is no change, simply because doing so would undermine the Russian Fed doing what's within its power to do.

Is it ok, not trying to change a system, just if it stays within its powers, if the rules of selection are based on some people having more influence, reputation and better background deals in behind instead of sport principle? Basically if the solution of this case is that everything is ok, cause RF stayed within its rules and powers, then their rules needs to be changed. + +

What about a parliament passing a questionable law completely lawfully within its powers, but mostly based on heavy lobbying and not for making best politics for one country? I don’t think one would argue it's ok, it was within their powers.

Regarding the outrages – without being a Fan of Morozov, but I think he hit the point, this decision it not only unfair, it basically ruined the career of one late blooming athlete to early promote a youngster, who will still have his chance to shine, because of his coaches influence, which in my opionion is pretty much disgusting from a moral side.

However, I’m pretty much amused about Morozov talking how Kovtun ist all about jumps and does not have a 2nd mark. Did he ever take a closer look on Voronov’s skating? Besides I personally think he didn’t give that interview to support Meshov, but rather to harm his rival Tarassova and to promote his own student.

[winterchik]

Secondly here Morosov is showing hos hatred towards Kovtun rather than being fair to Menshov.

very near to the truth