Russian figure skating news in 2024 & 2025

[Aceon6]

Years ago, there was someone like that at SCoB. Tom Gillis did everything in his power to protect the kid short of calling child services. Poor kid flamed out pretty quickly.

 

[Amy L]

Nugumanova said that cops and child services have been called to the rink more than once. I think AOP has been trying to put up with the behavior as much as they could stand, because they can at least watch Elena while she's at the rink and see that she's okay.

There's a crazy video of Mama Kostyleva going to a police station, screaming that Plushenko is trying to kidnap her daughter, that her daughter is rotten and has bad genes and she needs to be beaten but Plushenko won't support her (mama) and the daughter is going to grow up and murder her. She's totally unhinged, but there doesn't look like AOP can do anything more to help Elena.

From some things that were mentioned, it sounds like Elena's parents are still together, so what's up with Papa? Elena gets slapped and punched in front of a rink full of people, the cops get called, but then Elena is still living with her mom.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

@Sasha'sSpins 2nd group, number 8 (or 2nd in the 2nd group). He's dressed like Freddy Mercury. You might want to watch the rest of the group. Ignatov skated next and was clean, then Mark, Gumennik and then Semenenko. And, you'll get a quick peak at a bundled up Baby Quadlutz. He was asleep in Sasha's arms and his eyes popped open when they announced Makar.

This weekend will be another loaded men's event with Gumennik and Dikidzhe. I feel sorry for Gumennik as he's getting a lot of fan hate by Dikidzhe's fans which isn't fair. It's not his fault Russia could only send one and he did win nationals last year. I like Dikidzhe a lot, but he's still a wild child and Gumennik's second marks will be higher. I think Russia made the correct choice under the circumstances. It's just too bad both can't go.

Thanks so much! I'll watch the entire competition! I'm still catching up on GPs, and other events due to work and family commitments but it's going to be a fun time catching up as I'm off all of Thanksgiving week!

Aww I did get to see Baby Quadlutz wrapped in his QuadQueen Mama's arms when his Papa Makar skated! Someone posted a brief snippet of the happy family on Instagram! It was precious!

 

[Ka3sha]

Petrosian and Gumennik have been declared eligible and have been invited to participate in the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games by the IOC following the The Individual Neutral Athlete Eligibility Review Panel (AINERP)

https://www.olympics.com/ioc/milano-cortina-2026-individual-neutral-athletes

 

[caseyedwards]

FYI
The Panel will be composed of three members:

• Ms Nicole Hoevertsz, IOC Member, Chair of the Panel
• Mr Pau Gasol, IOC Ethics Commission and Athlete representative
• Morinari Watanabe, International Sports Federation representative

 

[clairecloutier]

The Ukrainian Olympic committee sent a letter to the IOC and ISU asking that they reconsider the participation of Petrosian and Gumennik in the Milano-Cortina Games. They allege that Petrosian and Gumennik "continue to take part in events that openly support the war, display banned symbols and maintain contacts with public personalities who promote Russian propaganda."

Here is the article. There's a link to the actual letter in the article, but the online translator I tried wouldn't translate it, so I don't know if any specific examples are given.

Ukraine calls on IOC and ISU to review decision to admit Russian athletes

The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Skating Federation have appealed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Skating Union (ISU) to review the decision to allow Russian Federation figure skaters Pyotr...

www.pravda.com.ua

I assume likely nothing will come of this, as it's so close to the Olympics. Still interesting that they would put the letter out.

 

[caseyedwards]

Of course they clearly do! But they didn’t ban skating in Russian events funded by sanctioned pro war organizations or companies! When Petrosian or gumennik are paid to be on channel one the money they are paid is not for anything but skating! I guess they have to wear the channel one logo on their jackets though! But they are not being paid to endorse they are being paid to skate.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

The Ukrainian Olympic committee sent a letter to the IOC and ISU asking that they reconsider the participation of Petrosian and Gumennik in the Milano-Cortina Games. They allege that Petrosian and Gumennik "continue to take part in events that openly support the war, display banned symbols and maintain contacts with public personalities who promote Russian propaganda."

Here is the article. There's a link to the actual letter in the article, but the online translator I tried wouldn't translate it, so I don't know if any specific examples are given.

Ukraine calls on IOC and ISU to review decision to admit Russian athletes

The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Skating Federation have appealed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Skating Union (ISU) to review the decision to allow Russian Federation figure skaters Pyotr...

www.pravda.com.ua

I assume likely nothing will come of this, as it's so close to the Olympics. Still interesting that they would put the letter out.

Wow. I agree, I don't believe that the IOC or the FIG is going to take any action this close to the Games. Imo, both sports bodies will probably just let the clock run out.

Speaking of symbols, recently I watched a medal ceremony from one of the Russian competitions with Petrosian, Gorbacheva and forgive me I forget the name of the third young lady. The thumbnail showed them posing with each of them making a three fingered hand gesture. Does anyone have any idea what that hand gesture might mean?? I'm in the Autumn of my life, so if it's just a cool new hand signal I missed it!

 

[Ka3sha]

That was totally expected from them, and I believe they were simply waiting for the official IOC Committee decision to officially send this letter to the IOC and ISU. I remember the same happening before the 2024 Paris Olympics as well, and it is within their rights.

And I also doubt anything would come out of this, given the reasoning they provide and the timeline of this.

 

[kwanfan1818]

But I thought the "requirements" for actually competing as an AIN are that you have to abide by the requirements that made you conditionally eligible in the first place through the Olympics, including what political activity is acceptable and passing the drug tests.

[/dripping with sarcasm off]

 

[Vagabond]

Here is the article. There's a link to the actual letter in the article, but the online translator I tried wouldn't translate it, so I don't know if any specific examples are given.

Ukraine calls on IOC and ISU to review decision to admit Russian athletes

The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Skating Federation have appealed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Skating Union (ISU) to review the decision to allow Russian Federation figure skaters Pyotr...

www.pravda.com.ua

The letter says that Petrosian took part in master classes organized within the framework of a project of the Mayor of Moscow and the Summer in Moscow festival, which openly supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine and raises funds for the needs of the Russian military. It also says that Gummenik participated in shows by Ilya Averbukh, which are known for their propagandistic nature, including militaristic performances in military uniform. It says he has ties to Stas Boretsky [], who supports the war and has visited Mariupol, and that his family has ties with organizations that spread Russian nationalism and war propaganda.

The letter has embedded links that don't work for me.

 

[Ka3sha]

It says he has ties to Stas Borotsky [], who supports the war and has visited Mariupol, and that his family has ties with organizations that spread Russian nationalism and war propaganda.

The letter has embedded links that don't work for me.

Has ties to Stas Boretsky (I am glad I have no idea who he is ) - there was a pic of unknown origin from some public event
Family ties - his father is a priest in an orthodox church in St Petersburg -> spreading nationalism and also participating in governmental events (my guess)

 

[Sylvia]

Russian Nationals, Dec. 18-21 in St. Petersburg - event info: https://fsrussia.ru/sorevnovaniya/sorevnovaniya/chempionat-rossii-2026