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Olga Ermolina's interview with Yulia Lipnitskaya `The page is turned, I have a new life and new plans' for fsrussia.ru
OE: Yulia, how well weighted was your decision to retire?
YL: This time 100%. I spent not a month or two or even three thinking about, i.e. I spent a while, taking all the cons and pros in consideration. In the winter, when I went to the hospital and spent there a while it was enouth time to reconsider. It was so hard to decide to retire. Seriously, every day I went to sleep and woke up with one thought: now what? When I was there we worked a lot with the shrinks, and they have really good ones there, they helped me setting the life priorities right. I had to think about a lot of things because I was sure I would recover and go back to skating. I was sure. Everyone was - mom, the coach...
In the hospital in Israel during my first weeks there my phone was stolen and the communication with the outside world was cut. IT was completely by chance, but as a result I spent a while offline. Only now I understand the reason. I could really think what was going on in my life. It played a huge role. Yes, I could had just bought another phone, but I decided if that happened - it was for a reason. So I was in a foreigh country, where everyone spoke a foreign language which is not even English with no connection with the outside world. I only remembered by heart my mom's phone number. I ended up bying some cheap phone to be able to call mom and the relatives. That was it. Hence what else could I do there but heal and think what will I do next.
OE: What was the scariest thing?
YL: The unknown. To understand what is next. I check out from the hospital and what? Especially when I started realizing that 99.9% I'm done skating. I was paniking so badly of that unknown. It was a nightmare. When I came back home the first week I spent thinking what now? What should I do now? The unknown is a terrible thing.
I spoke to mom at once and she understood me. We decided it's a new life. So I had to go to the RFSF, sign the retirement, explain what happened, which is what I did. Then I had an agreement with the federation that we all will wait till September and during the test skate we'll announce my retirement. That was it. So I would like to thank all the people who supported me, the fans for waiting.
OE: The RFSF offered you to rethink because you're a top skater and you can't be dismissed easily.
YL: Of course, in April I was asked whether it's an emotional and spontaneous decision. But you can't think for so long and end up with an emotional decision. So yes, I was given time till the test skates to think. But I already made my mind.
OE: Do you think you achieved all you could in the sport?
YL: OF course not. There were so many things that I wanted to achieve and do, to improve. But that's what it is. After the games in Sochi I wanted to try ice dance. I was thinking of it for a couple of years but so many were against and the idea was dropped.
OE: What prevented you from achieving all you wanted?
YL: 99% the injuries. The rest was a result of that. After I was diagnosed I received many questions why did I do it. But if I didn't announce it myself somehow the information would get out. Anorexia is the illness of the 21st century. It's not rare. Unfortunately not everyone can overcome it. I decided it will not be a big deal if I reveal it. The only thing am sorry about is not talkign about it earlier. It had been going on not for a year or two or three.
After the CoR I came home, put the skates into the wardrobe and I haven't seen them since. In January I was hospitalized. That's the whole story.
OE: After the Sochi Olympics the fame that landed on you - was it something that motivated you to go on or a burden you had to carry?
YL: It was draining. I didn't have power for anything else, it was so hard. Am not a public person. I never was. From the very childhood I was an introvert. In order to talk to someone unfamiliar I had to make a huge effort. It's now easier communicating, I became more open. But I developed some skills, habits, stereotipes and I follow them. I don't think I have to be in every paper, every TV show where am invited. I don't like it and probably never will. I prefer to cut things short and just tell what needs to be said, especially since after my prolonged silence there are so many speculations, so many people who suddenly popped up and were interviewed, including people I don't even know.
First it was sort of funny but then it became insane. There were so many fake facts I'd like to explain. The serious reason was a programme on Channel 1 where everything was fake. When I asked the editors `how did it even go on air' I was told `but you never said personally it was a lie, so it could be true', so guess now I have to.
OE: Ok, start talking.
YL: Lets start with the TV show, after which my mom became white haired, I probably grew a couple of white hairs as well, but the TV editors got their numbers. They were talking to a person named Zanozin. That person said I got accepted to MGU and it's a sure thing. I was only planning attending the university and will be great if it works out. I only plan applying and doing the exams in a year. I would like to become a sports manager. I'ts interesting and it would be related to my previous life.
The second. There is a person going from one TV show to the other who dares calling himself my father. A question: how do the editors allow it? This person is a fake. Even if he has the same last name don't jump to conclusions. This person is not related to me. What he said about me - I wanted to silence him physically. It's impossible to listen!
As for my real father I know fully well who is it and where he lives. So let me warn you: if those cases will continue and my `fathers' or `relatives' will pop up in the TV shows with the will to get some fame on my account we'lll meet in the court.
One of the papers published an article. While I was reading I thought it was a joke. The only true words were the name. Yulia and Lipnitskaya. That's it. They came up with some young guy who as if influenced my decision to retire? Some quotes of some relative who prefered to remain anonimous were given. I don't have relatives or friends who would do such a thing. The whole article is a journalist's fantasy. Author, high mark for the story!
OE: It's great you keep your sense of humour in that situation. What do you dream about now?
YL: Dream? I would love to find something I would spend the rest of my life doing. I'm on a junction now because there are so many offers, options and projects.. but I can't and don't want to go somewhere and just sit there as `Yulia Lipnitskaya'. I want to participate, I want to do something interesting and it will not happen without the education. Hence its' the first thing in my list. I study English with a tutor. I will fully focus on my studies in the near future and then we'll see. At the same time, of course, I try some new things and will try to find my way. I am being asked whether I'll participate the shows. For now I can't and don't want to, even though there are offers. Perhaps with the time things will change and I will want to be back on the ice. Will see.
One thing is for sure: I will not coach. Being a sports professional is a different thing. But I need the education. A hobby is a hobby, but profession is an education.
OE: I.e. you had turned the page and all your dreams and plans are in the future?
YL: Yes, I have a new life and new plans. The sport left me with a habit organizing, having a strict schedule. When I have a free time, and now I have much more of that I start thinking `how should I fill it'? I have a schedule so I will not just sit idly. When the day is fully planned I feel great and try to make it everywhere. I spent my days off in the countryhouse.
Everyonek nows I've always loved horses. I now own one. In Moscow. Not far from the countryhouse there is a private stable and I can do sports there, ride the horse for 30-40km. It's one of my favourite habbits and I don't mind wasting time on that because I enjoy it so much. The horse's name is Dakota. It's tall, cute and calm. A dream.
OE: That's great! Is there anything else you'd like to add?
YL: I would like to thank the Federation and everyone who helped and suported me. A special thanks to my now ex coach Alexey Urmanov, who during our time together was working so hard and reacting immediately to all the problems and solved them so fast. I was comfortable working in Sochi even though the life there is so different. The team in Sochi is great, everyone is so supportive. It would make me so happy if we achieved some results with that team and am so sorry it didn't happen .But again, it was great working with such people.
I would like to thank my fans for their love, faith and understanding and patience. That's the way the things had to be done. For me and not only for me. Now I receive so many messages. I sometimes try to relpy because some poeple write from the bottom of their hears and when reading those messages I can't help but be in tears, but most of the time they make me smile. It feels great knowing people care so much about me.
I would love to thank those who picked on me and even the haters, sometimes they made me think and move on.
Just thank everyone!
OE:Thank you, Yulia
OE: Yulia, how well weighted was your decision to retire?
YL: This time 100%. I spent not a month or two or even three thinking about, i.e. I spent a while, taking all the cons and pros in consideration. In the winter, when I went to the hospital and spent there a while it was enouth time to reconsider. It was so hard to decide to retire. Seriously, every day I went to sleep and woke up with one thought: now what? When I was there we worked a lot with the shrinks, and they have really good ones there, they helped me setting the life priorities right. I had to think about a lot of things because I was sure I would recover and go back to skating. I was sure. Everyone was - mom, the coach...
In the hospital in Israel during my first weeks there my phone was stolen and the communication with the outside world was cut. IT was completely by chance, but as a result I spent a while offline. Only now I understand the reason. I could really think what was going on in my life. It played a huge role. Yes, I could had just bought another phone, but I decided if that happened - it was for a reason. So I was in a foreigh country, where everyone spoke a foreign language which is not even English with no connection with the outside world. I only remembered by heart my mom's phone number. I ended up bying some cheap phone to be able to call mom and the relatives. That was it. Hence what else could I do there but heal and think what will I do next.
OE: What was the scariest thing?
YL: The unknown. To understand what is next. I check out from the hospital and what? Especially when I started realizing that 99.9% I'm done skating. I was paniking so badly of that unknown. It was a nightmare. When I came back home the first week I spent thinking what now? What should I do now? The unknown is a terrible thing.
I spoke to mom at once and she understood me. We decided it's a new life. So I had to go to the RFSF, sign the retirement, explain what happened, which is what I did. Then I had an agreement with the federation that we all will wait till September and during the test skate we'll announce my retirement. That was it. So I would like to thank all the people who supported me, the fans for waiting.
OE: The RFSF offered you to rethink because you're a top skater and you can't be dismissed easily.
YL: Of course, in April I was asked whether it's an emotional and spontaneous decision. But you can't think for so long and end up with an emotional decision. So yes, I was given time till the test skates to think. But I already made my mind.
OE: Do you think you achieved all you could in the sport?
YL: OF course not. There were so many things that I wanted to achieve and do, to improve. But that's what it is. After the games in Sochi I wanted to try ice dance. I was thinking of it for a couple of years but so many were against and the idea was dropped.
OE: What prevented you from achieving all you wanted?
YL: 99% the injuries. The rest was a result of that. After I was diagnosed I received many questions why did I do it. But if I didn't announce it myself somehow the information would get out. Anorexia is the illness of the 21st century. It's not rare. Unfortunately not everyone can overcome it. I decided it will not be a big deal if I reveal it. The only thing am sorry about is not talkign about it earlier. It had been going on not for a year or two or three.
After the CoR I came home, put the skates into the wardrobe and I haven't seen them since. In January I was hospitalized. That's the whole story.
OE: After the Sochi Olympics the fame that landed on you - was it something that motivated you to go on or a burden you had to carry?
YL: It was draining. I didn't have power for anything else, it was so hard. Am not a public person. I never was. From the very childhood I was an introvert. In order to talk to someone unfamiliar I had to make a huge effort. It's now easier communicating, I became more open. But I developed some skills, habits, stereotipes and I follow them. I don't think I have to be in every paper, every TV show where am invited. I don't like it and probably never will. I prefer to cut things short and just tell what needs to be said, especially since after my prolonged silence there are so many speculations, so many people who suddenly popped up and were interviewed, including people I don't even know.
First it was sort of funny but then it became insane. There were so many fake facts I'd like to explain. The serious reason was a programme on Channel 1 where everything was fake. When I asked the editors `how did it even go on air' I was told `but you never said personally it was a lie, so it could be true', so guess now I have to.
OE: Ok, start talking.
YL: Lets start with the TV show, after which my mom became white haired, I probably grew a couple of white hairs as well, but the TV editors got their numbers. They were talking to a person named Zanozin. That person said I got accepted to MGU and it's a sure thing. I was only planning attending the university and will be great if it works out. I only plan applying and doing the exams in a year. I would like to become a sports manager. I'ts interesting and it would be related to my previous life.
The second. There is a person going from one TV show to the other who dares calling himself my father. A question: how do the editors allow it? This person is a fake. Even if he has the same last name don't jump to conclusions. This person is not related to me. What he said about me - I wanted to silence him physically. It's impossible to listen!
As for my real father I know fully well who is it and where he lives. So let me warn you: if those cases will continue and my `fathers' or `relatives' will pop up in the TV shows with the will to get some fame on my account we'lll meet in the court.
One of the papers published an article. While I was reading I thought it was a joke. The only true words were the name. Yulia and Lipnitskaya. That's it. They came up with some young guy who as if influenced my decision to retire? Some quotes of some relative who prefered to remain anonimous were given. I don't have relatives or friends who would do such a thing. The whole article is a journalist's fantasy. Author, high mark for the story!
OE: It's great you keep your sense of humour in that situation. What do you dream about now?
YL: Dream? I would love to find something I would spend the rest of my life doing. I'm on a junction now because there are so many offers, options and projects.. but I can't and don't want to go somewhere and just sit there as `Yulia Lipnitskaya'. I want to participate, I want to do something interesting and it will not happen without the education. Hence its' the first thing in my list. I study English with a tutor. I will fully focus on my studies in the near future and then we'll see. At the same time, of course, I try some new things and will try to find my way. I am being asked whether I'll participate the shows. For now I can't and don't want to, even though there are offers. Perhaps with the time things will change and I will want to be back on the ice. Will see.
One thing is for sure: I will not coach. Being a sports professional is a different thing. But I need the education. A hobby is a hobby, but profession is an education.
OE: I.e. you had turned the page and all your dreams and plans are in the future?
YL: Yes, I have a new life and new plans. The sport left me with a habit organizing, having a strict schedule. When I have a free time, and now I have much more of that I start thinking `how should I fill it'? I have a schedule so I will not just sit idly. When the day is fully planned I feel great and try to make it everywhere. I spent my days off in the countryhouse.
Everyonek nows I've always loved horses. I now own one. In Moscow. Not far from the countryhouse there is a private stable and I can do sports there, ride the horse for 30-40km. It's one of my favourite habbits and I don't mind wasting time on that because I enjoy it so much. The horse's name is Dakota. It's tall, cute and calm. A dream.
OE: That's great! Is there anything else you'd like to add?
YL: I would like to thank the Federation and everyone who helped and suported me. A special thanks to my now ex coach Alexey Urmanov, who during our time together was working so hard and reacting immediately to all the problems and solved them so fast. I was comfortable working in Sochi even though the life there is so different. The team in Sochi is great, everyone is so supportive. It would make me so happy if we achieved some results with that team and am so sorry it didn't happen .But again, it was great working with such people.
I would like to thank my fans for their love, faith and understanding and patience. That's the way the things had to be done. For me and not only for me. Now I receive so many messages. I sometimes try to relpy because some poeple write from the bottom of their hears and when reading those messages I can't help but be in tears, but most of the time they make me smile. It feels great knowing people care so much about me.
I would love to thank those who picked on me and even the haters, sometimes they made me think and move on.
Just thank everyone!
OE:Thank you, Yulia
Slay in court Julia!
Wishing Yulia and Dakota much luck together in the fun and dreamy times they enjoy. 
