Russian women news & updates, 2021-22 season

[Xela M]

This is a video from Valieva finishing. It cuts off briefly, but has most of what we saw from Trusova. https://v.redd.it/fpg7hj9d4fi81/HLSPlaylist.m3u8?f=sd&v=1&a=1647735355,Nzk4MjE4MTk4ZWQ2Yjg4ZTkwMWY2NWQ1MWE4MGQ5YjRmMThmYzNhYjhkMTQ0NjQxZjgxNDJkZDkxMzcwZjNkYg==&utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Omg!!! Thank you. This is such horrendous viewing. Poor Anna!!! She is so dignified. Between the Trusova circus and Kamila's meltdown, no one cares that she just won an OGM. When Eteri eventually decides to grace Anna with her 5-seconds-long presence - she actually criticises her for not showing the lutz!!!! WTF?! I have never seen anything like it

 

[Cachoo]

Imo Trusova meant that both Kamila and Anna got the gold medals ( all except her), meaning that Anna got an individual medal and Kamila Team gold medal

Look I like Trusova but she behaved like a toddler who is told no and then has an angry outburst. She might be frustrated but she had a chance in competition and muffed her short program and consequently landed with the silver. That is on her.

 

[Primorskaya]

Maybe I'd go back to Russia... if I wasn't afraid for being jailed and put in labor camps for being gay or even being suspected of being in the LGBTQI+ community. Made worse by the fact that Russia is even ashamed to admit that they HAVE gay people that they jail them for made up crimes. It's great to defend a country, but if a naturally born citizen can be granted asylum by the World Peace Organization, (which was established well before 1990 when the current 'Mother Russia' herself), there is no defense.

Russia is a beautiful country with much history. But PEOPLE make a HOME not a material place, and let's be real honest here, Russia is not a home for anyone other than cis white straight Catholic people, preferably with lots of money, and they make no effort to disguise their disdain. And whether you want to admit it or not, Putin and the other oligarchs, IS this century's Russia, and make no gripes about it or face the consequences

Russia is also, factually, the only country to have so little regard for their athletes long term health that they were convicted of STATE sponsored doping. One of the (many blatant delusional disregard for the rules) ways they did it was by NOT telling their athletes they were doping them or forcing them to...and evidently this now includes 15 year old girls in figure skating. And the public is currently PRAISING her and her TEAM, calling her a 'hero' and a 'martyr' instead of a 'cheater' and a 'child abuse victim'. Sounds like a bunch of classy people.

And PS: If a child in the USA was found to have unprescribed trimetazidine at any time for any reason, accident or not, the Department of Family and Social Services is called and that child is IMMEDIATELY removed from that home until that County's department feels with 100% certainty that child is safe to go home to their regular full time care givers. What they DO NOT DO is allow them to complete in a strenuous & stressful athletic competition because ITS FN DANGEROUS! It increases the blood flow and enlarges heart valves! Or allow that child to be UNSUPERVISED still in the care of the alleged abusers.

I don’t mean to be a mean toolbox here or to you. But we are angry. We are frustrated. We are sad, and bluntly, its Russia's fault. I think the question here is whether you are serious.

I'm sooooooo tempted to pull a Ted Barton and reply "well it's all my fault then"

If you'd been on his board for more than 5 minutes or read upthread a bit I wouldn't even have to write this mild rebuke.
I'm as incensed as everyone over the abuse going on in Russia/Eteri's group, the doping, the mess. Get off your high horse and vent on someone else. Eteri's Instagram maybe? Or write to the IOC, it's what some of us did, it'll be more use. Still, great virtue-signalling. The implication that I don't care about/condone any of the things you mentioned is an insult. Again, when you've just turned up somewhere, don't take a flame-thrower to people of whom you know nothing, it'll spare you looking like a fool. Or a mean toolbox, whatever the hell that is.
Also, Catholic? Ummmm....

 

[shah]

I got to it right away but it's in Polish. Google Translate says:

A𝐥𝐞𝐤𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐨𝐰𝐚 despite performing five quadruple jumps "only" with silver # Beijing2022 She became hysterical after the announcement of the results "I hate you, I hate sports, I don't want to go to the ceremony" - she said 𝐀 𝐧𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐢 ... 𝐩𝐫𝐳𝐲𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐤

It won't translate the last bit no matter what I try.

The last bit means "And then, at the ceremony . . . coincidence?"

Who would have thought that Alexandra Trusova would have her Surya moment on the podium...

In general, I'm still a little speechless and emotionally drained after the women's event. So many things went terribly wrong! Hopefully, the Doronbo Gang (as I sometimes refer to them) will finally face at least some consequences of their systematic abuse. I really feel for all the skaters involved...

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

That's what I think as well.

Also, sorry didn't read everyone's comments, but OMG to Trusova's reaction!! Did she think she was better than Anna?! Wtf was that all about?!?

This is what happens when you know that you only matter when you win the gold.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Sharpie took away the animated gifs for profile photos last month because it was giving some people headaches. But, that's pretty flippin' epic! I really wish she'd stayed with Plushenko last year, because I liked where he was trying to take her and I think I'd have maybe been rooting for her this season if she was still with him.

The sign doesn't mean anything to Russians. I guess it's possible Trusova picked it up. With her, you never know.

People are really enjoying this debacle. I get it. It is a gift that keeps on giving, and Eteri is a stellar villain. But being a parent, I find it only heartbreaking. There is no "fun" or "epic" or anything in it. Eteri should be in jail, and the girls need therapy.

 

[barbarafan]

Judging by Eteri asking her why she didn't fight, I would say absolutely not.

I think that was Eteri's performance for the cameras.

 

[concorde]

This is what happens when you know that you only matter when you win the gold.

Four years ago, Med also expressed frustration that she was not given the more difficult programs which resulted in her "only" getting silver. At least Med also had a TE gold.

 

[skatingguy]

Four years ago, Med also expressed frustration that she was not given the more difficult programs which resulted in her "only" getting silver. At least Med also had a TE gold.

No, she didn't.

 

[topaz]

I think folks should be a little kinder to Sasha Trusova. After re-watching the numerous videos of her. She tried to collect herself but she appeared as a person who was grieving. She's 17 years old(skating maturity age is probably 14) and her life long dream died in front of the world. That is a brutally emotional thing. Sasha displayed the stages of grief pretty much in front of the world.

 

[Frau Muller]

Sasha went to today’s Pairs event & looked happy and serene.

 

[Ananas Astra]

Maybe Kamila will still be there...

IF she decides to continue skating. I'd totally understand if she decided to leave the sport altogether after all she has been through.

But IF she continues and keeps growing as a skater...imagine how marvelous she will be at 19...with 4 more years up her sleeve.

I really hope she stays with us.

 

[Frau Muller]

IF she decides to continue skating. I'd totally understand if she decided to leave the sport altogether after all she has been through.

But IF she continues and keeps growing as a skater...imagine how marvelous she will be at 19...with 4 more years up her sleeve.

I really hope she stays with us.

Realistically…without the Eteri (or Eteri-style) training? I don’t see it happening unless the age minimums are raised. Kamila could go the Gubanova route…another country with another coach?

 

[Bigbird]

IF she decides to continue skating. I'd totally understand if she decided to leave the sport altogether after all she has been through.

But IF she continues and keeps growing as a skater...imagine how marvelous she will be at 19...with 4 more years up her sleeve.

I really hope she stays with us.

I actually liked the maturity I saw in her LP. Some glimmers of maturity. In my dreams I see Kostner and Mishin as her coaches.

 

[Meoima]

IF she decides to continue skating. I'd totally understand if she decided to leave the sport altogether after all she has been through.

But IF she continues and keeps growing as a skater...imagine how marvelous she will be at 19...with 4 more years up her sleeve.

I really hope she stays with us.

She is beautiful and I do not want her to stop competing but at the same time, her mental health for life is more important than medals and competitions. I am afraid had she continued, some people would always mention her with bad names. That would be hard to watch.

 

[Ananas Astra]

She is beautiful and I do not want her to stop competing but at the same time, her mental health for life is more important than medals and competitions. I am afraid had she continued, some people would always mention her with bad names. That would be hard to watch.

But then again...rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva also had that "mark" to her name for some time and came back to win the Olympics in 2004 fair and square.

 

[screech]

I'd love to see Kamila continue in a healthy environment. Despite the doping, she has a natural gift for skating - not just the jumps but the actual skating itself, and I think she could really flourish under the right guidance.

I've seen going around on twitter the image of Anna sitting backstage after finding out she won. IMO it's such a heartbreaking photo of someone who should be able to be celebrating the accomplishment of a lifetime. But nobody from her team is with her, nobody is congratulating her, and all that surrounds her is chaos.

 

[Ananas Astra]

I've seen going around on twitter the image of Anna sitting backstage after finding out she won. IMO it's such a heartbreaking photo of someone who should be able to be celebrating the accomplishment of a lifetime. But nobody from her team is with her, nobody is congratulating her, and all that surrounds her is chaos.

It is very reminiscent of Zagitova in 2018. She was also all alone, hugging a doll while everyone ran to Medvedeva to comfort her.

 

[Xela M]

But then again...rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva also had that "mark" to her name for some time and came back to win the Olympics in 2004 fair and square.

And she got Putin as her prize

 

[kedrin]

She is beautiful and I do not want her to stop competing but at the same time, her mental health for life is more important than medals and competitions. I am afraid had she continued, some people would always mention her with bad names. That would be hard to watch.

Actually, people love a redemption story. I could see a scenario where she returns in four years under a different team, skates lights out, and all is forgiven. I don't think it's very likely, but I could see it.

 

[layman]

I don't think this trio of Russian women have a future in the sport if they stay in the Eteri camp (they will be tossed aside for younger skaters) but do we feel like any of them might have any success leaving and training somewhere else?

Medvedeva had brief success when she left to train with Brian Orser in Canada. It's heartbreaking that her time training in a healthier skating environment came to an abrupt (and unexpected) end but I commend her for trying.

Trusova and Kostornaia got away once. Maybe they can do it again. I know that Trusova (and her family) at one point tried hard to come to the US to train under Rafael Arutunian. I wonder if she and her family will try again.

I hope Anna can get away too. I don't see anything positive coming from her staying in such a toxic environment. She will soon be cast aside anyway for younger girls. I just don't see any future for her there.

...and Kamila...poor Kamila...I hope that it is obvious to her and her family that she has no future in the Eteri school. I hope that Kamila can get far, far away from that abusive environment...change coaches...change countries...whatever it takes.

 

[flyingsit]

They could only be successful elsewhere if the Russian federation stops penalizing skaters who leave Eteri's camp.

 

[Spikefan]

Raf has indicated he is done coaching full time and he is anti-drama. Doubt he would coach Sasha, maybe consult.

 

[Arch-]

I'm sooooooo tempted to pull a Ted Barton and reply "well it's all my fault then"

If you'd been on his board for more than 5 minutes or read upthread a bit I wouldn't even have to write this mild rebuke.
I'm as incensed as everyone over the abuse going on in Russia/Eteri's group, the doping, the mess. Get off your high horse and vent on someone else. Eteri's Instagram maybe? Or write to the IOC, it's what some of us did, it'll be more use. Still, great virtue-signalling. The implication that I don't care about/condone any of the things you mentioned is an insult. Again, when you've just turned up somewhere, don't take a flame-thrower to people of whom you know nothing, it'll spare you looking like a fool. Or a mean toolbox, whatever the hell that is.
Also, Catholic? Ummmm....

Keep laughing at yourself. You are so delusional I can't even respond to this other than: By what YOU WROTE, not Eteri or Putin or anyone else, it is YOUR FAULT by being an enabler. Sorry but its like talking to an under-educted brick wall. And if you can't understand that, there is no helping you. If you have any POC or LGBTQI+ 'friends' let them know how 'mild' you think the genocide of their culture and lives are in countries like RUS.

PS: I didn't 'just show up' and I read all the comments. It's you that can't read in-between the lines. You know who says that kind of 'you're new here and you're not cool enough'? Mean girls, teenagers, Felicia, entiltled dance moms, Jerry Springer trash. People who need A LOT of reassuring in life. When a sports forum with nice educated people like this one, goes silent for days, when it never should, its because of people like you running them off.

Like I said: People make a home, not the material place. We don't know you, you don't know us. You aren't kin. You're a guest like everyone else here. So wipe your feet at the door every time you step into this house and stay in your lane while visiting...or better yet, stay on the sidewalk next door and watch for a while.

 

[tony]

This is what happens when you know that you only matter when you win the gold.

I don't think so. You gonna throw that same suggestion in for B/K last year when Boikova lost it on Moskvina and suggest she only cares about the winners too? Tutberidze sat with Medvedeva for an extended time in 2018 just as the team did with Valieva and Trusova this time while the 'winner who matters' sat alone.

The simple fact of the matter is that Trusova thought her 5 quads would be enough to win. Hell, a lot of us including myself said way earlier in the year that Trusova would surely be on the Olympic team because she was likely the only one to challenge Valieva. Shcherbakova, as she's shown time and time again, delivers when she really needs to. And Trusova, although young, has to know that her mistake in the short both here and at Worlds last year are likely the reason she's not at the top of the podium, PCS and GOE ridiculousness aside.

I like Trusova, but for all the complaining people do about empty programs and bad technique, she's basically the leader of the country on those accounts. Her LP has nothing happening in it and the jumps are not worthy of strong GOE when shes extending her body all over the place and hunching forward on each of her jump elements. Her spins have remained incredibly weak, too.

As far as the comment about 'you knew', she and the rest of Russia can say all they want that it referred to the team competition situation, but I heard (and posted) early in the lead-up week to the team event that there was discussion of Valieva and Shcherbakova splitting the event. Not Trusova. This was from the same source that told me the entire Canadian line-up as well as Karen Chen doing both programs for the USA, so I would think there actually was a later discussion regarding whether to put Anna in. Either way, Trusova AFAIK was not part of the team event talks anyways so people trying to say her outburst was referring to that, make it make sense. She still wasn't going to be a gold medalist.

 

[becca]

I don't think so. You gonna throw that same suggestion in for B/K last year when Boikova lost it on Moskvina and suggest she only cares about the winners too? Tutberidze sat with Medvedeva for an extended time in 2018 just as the team did with Valieva and Trusova this time while the 'winner who matters' sat alone.

The simple fact of the matter is that Trusova thought her 5 quads would be enough to win. Hell, a lot of us including myself said way earlier in the year that Trusova would surely be on the Olympic team because she was likely the only one to challenge Valieva. Shcherbakova, as she's shown time and time again, delivers when she really needs to. And Trusova, although young, has to know that her mistake in the short both here and at Worlds last year are likely the reason she's not at the top of the podium, PCS and GOE ridiculousness aside.

I like Trusova, but for all the complaining people do about empty programs and bad technique, she's basically the leader of the country on those accounts. Her LP has nothing happening in it and the jumps are not worthy of strong GOE when shes extending her body all over the place and hunching forward on each of her jump elements. Her spins have remained incredibly weak, too.

As far as the comment about 'you knew', she and the rest of Russia can say all they want that it referred to the team competition situation, but I heard (and posted) early in the lead-up week to the team event that there was discussion of Valieva and Shcherbakova splitting the event. Not Trusova. This was from the same source that told me the entire Canadian line-up as well as Karen Chen doing both programs for the USA, so I would think there actually was a later discussion regarding whether to put Anna in. Either way, Trusova AFAIK was not part of the team event talks anyways so people trying to say her outburst was referring to that, make it make sense. She still wasn't going to be a gold medalist.

I do think it’s quite possible the Russians knew there would be an outburst if Anna did team too they know their skaters and that’s why Kami did both

 

[Cachoo]

I post other places that have nothing to do with skating but this mess has visited those sites and one thing they all have in common: They see Kamila as a victim of her avaricious coaches. No one blames her and want to see her again should she choose to continue.

 

[Vagabond]

Russia is not a home for anyone other than cis white straight Catholic people

There are very few Catholics in Russia, be they cis, white, and straight or otherwise.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

There are very few Catholics in Russia, be they cis, white, and straight or otherwise.

I wonder if the OP meant Orthodox.

 

[becca]

There are very few Catholics in Russia, be they cis, white, and straight or otherwise.

Technically the orthodox faith does have Catholic in its name.

But They are Orthodox. Some of the long term tension between them and let say Poland is due to this