From Russia With Love [#37]: Summer 2020

[kwanfan1818]

Students have transferred to Eteri outside of the transfer window, just recently Kolyada transferred outside of the transfer window. Nobody kicked up a fuss and held onto funding for dear life.

I'm not sure what your point is, because 1. I don't see where Kostornaia or Plushenko has kicked up a fuss and 2. Where have the funding discussions about any other skaters been disclosed?

 

[DobrinFan]

But exceptions are made all the time when they want to make exceptions. Students have transferred to Eteri outside of the transfer window, just recently Kolyada transferred outside of the transfer window. Nobody kicked up a fuss and held onto funding for dear life.

And the federation even came out and said they didn't mind. Double standard.

 

[Tinami Amori]

But exceptions are made all the time when they want to make exceptions. Students have transferred to Eteri outside of the transfer window, just recently Kolyada transferred outside of the transfer window. Nobody kicked up a fuss and held onto funding for dear life.

Lozko left Mishin to go to Eteri outside of the transfer window and Mishin got the whole Federation involved, forced Lozko to return to his rink and then ruined her career in skating. just an example....

Skaters can leave and skate at other rinks with other coaches any time they want, it's the assigned funding that is the issue and official allocation. In case of Kostornaya - she spent summer camp with the coaching team and got 2 programmes developed (she consumed resources).... that's is what raised questions in many people.

 

[hanca]

Lozko left Mishin to go to Eteri outside of the transfer window and Mishin got the whole Federation involved, forced Lozko to return to his rink and then ruined her career in skating. just an example....

Skaters can leave and skate at other rinks with other coaches any time they want, it's the assigned funding that is the issue and official allocation. In case of Kostornaya - she spent summer camp with the coaching team and got 2 programmes developed (she consumed resources).... that's is what raised questions in many people.

I know it os so unfair that every skater gets treated differently. If we compare it with Gachinsky, who also left Mishin outside the period, but everyone pretended that they were not aware that he Moved to Moscow and had a new coach. The difference was his asked Tarasova for help...

 

[Tinami Amori]

I know it os so unfair that every skater gets treated differently.

I am willing to consider if a skater is doing well with a current coach or not, skating wise. If a skater is doing well then transferring out of the time frame is particularly questionable. In case of Kolyada... i give him benefit of a doubt, he has not skated for many months after surgery and prior to that was not doing well.

 

[hanca]

I am willing to consider if a skater is doing well with a current coach or not, skating wise. If a skater is doing well then transferring out of the time frame is particularly questionable. In case of Kolyada... i give him benefit of a doubt, he has not skated for many months after surgery and prior to that was not doing well.

I don’t think it should be about whether the skater is doing well or not. I think there should be clear rules and those should be applied to everyone. It is wrong that one extreme is a completely destroyed career like Lozko, the other extreme is that all coaches including the federation covering up and pretending they are not aware (even though there was an interview where Gachinski admitted it so it must have been quite hard for the federation to pretend that they were unaware).

 

[kwanfan1818]

Lozko left Mishin to go to Eteri outside of the transfer window and Mishin got the whole Federation involved, forced Lozko to return to his rink and then ruined her career in skating. just an example....

Skaters can leave and skate at other rinks with other coaches any time they want, it's the assigned funding that is the issue and official allocation.

This seems contradictory to me: if skaters can change coaches and rinks whenever they want, how did Mishin and the Fed force her back in Mishin's rink? Was it that she needed the funding or couldn't skate at all?

 

[hanca]

This seems contradictory to me: if skaters can change coaches and rinks whenever they want, how did Mishin and the Fed force her back in Mishin's rink? Was it that she needed the funding or couldn't skate at all?

If you are the federation, you can force the skater to go back very easily. I don’t know how they did it, but for example: You send the skater a letter informing them that they swapped outside the time period, which is not allowed and that he/she should return to their rink otherwise they will have to pay day-to-day ice and coaching. Alternatively, you send the new coach a letter that you are very unhappy that they are breaking rules about the transfers of skater, and that if the skater remains at this rink, there will be financial consequences for the school. You don’t need even to go to details, because most coaches will not want to fall out with the federation, because federation hands out the competition assignments.

 

[rfisher]

My understanding of the Russian system, and it is limited, is that rinks/coaches with high level skaters (those who make the national team) get funding for the skaters and are able to supply additional resources as well. It's one of the reasons pair teams flocked to Mozer and single skaters to SAMBO-70. They have access to trainers, therapists, teachers and more besides just the coaching. The more a coaches athletes win, the more funding the rink and coach receive. Most skaters can't afford to pay all their own expenses when they reach the highest levels, unlike the US and Canada where only the most elite skaters make enough in shows etc., to off set all the expenses. Most have to coach and do other things in order to pay the bills. I can understand why a coach wouldn't be happy to lose such a skater as they help fund a lot of other skaters besides themselves.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Of course they leave impact in decades, but they are replaceable. A few years back it was Mao versus Yuna. Now they are gone and have been replaced by new stars (3A). That’s a part of life. And those new stars will be replaced by someone else.

That was a long time back.

 

[Bigbird]

I think it's probably because you're creepy af to be honest.

Rude
Very rude. As if..

 

[antmanb]

Rude
Very rude. As if..

Perhaps English isn't your first language, but this post in particular is not appropriate and definitely reads creepy af:

I honestly just want to know what's happening with my baby Kostornaia. What does all this back and forth in the press really mean for her?

 

[mjb52]

I don't think that post is bad? I guess if it was coming from a guy it might be weird but I don't think Bigbird is a guy (if that's a wrong assumption, sorry!), it's just sort of maternal-sounding to me. I'm worried about Kostornaia too, but I think we will have to wait until the test skates to see how things are working themselves out.

 

[Bigbird]

I don't think that post is bad? I guess if it was coming from a guy it might be weird but I don't think Bigbird is a guy (if that's a wrong assumption, sorry!), it's just sort of maternal-sounding to me. I'm worried about Kostornaia too, but I think we will have to wait until the test skates to see how things are working themselves out.

Thank you very much. I am definitely female and definitely concerned about the double standard if not hazing of Kostornaia. It's reads to me that they treat these athletes like pieces of meat. It leaves a bad taste to me and is very uncool. To think that my words could have been interpreted any other way is a very sad reflection of our times.

But that being said I hope all is well.

 

[hanca]

Thank you very much. I am definitely female and definitely concerned about the double standard if not hazing of Kostornaia. It's reads to me that they treat these athletes like pieces of meat. It leaves a bad taste to me and is very uncool. To think that my words could have been interpreted any other way is a very sad reflection of our times.

But that being said I hope all is well.

Are they treating her like this because they treat her as a piece of meat, as you say, or because people don’t like when someone beaks the rules? The higher status of the person who broke the rules, the more backlash it raises.

 

[Bigbird]

Are they treating her like this because they treat her as a piece of meat, as you say, or because people don’t like when someone beaks the rules? The higher status of the person who broke the rules, the more backlash it raises.

This season is not a typical season. The coaches were not in place. Maybe that influenced the timings of her decision. Eteri and company were elsewhere. Maybe she had hoped for better.

Also if Kolyada? was given a reprieve to go to Mishin an exception could be made for her as well. Whatever is good for the goose is good for the gander, be consistent.

 

[hanca]

This season is not a typical season. The coaches were not in place. Maybe that influenced the timings of her decision. Eteri and company were elsewhere. Maybe she had hoped for better.

Also if Kolyada? was given a reprieve to go to Mishin an exception could be made for her as well. Whatever is good for the goose is good for the gander, be consistent.

That’s what you keep saying, but if other skaters could manage it within the time window, why she needs special treatment? As the European champion, she must know that her actions will be scrutinised because the federation doesn’t want to give the message that top skaters don’t have to follow the rules. As far as I am concerned, she got off lightly. Look what happened to Lozko.

 

[Bigbird]

That’s what you keep saying, but if other skaters could manage it within the time window, why she needs special treatment? As the European champion, she must know that her actions will be scrutinised because the federation doesn’t want to give the message that top skaters don’t have to follow the rules. As far as I am concerned, she got off lightly. Look what happened to Lozko.

I see a trend. I have no further comment.

 

[hanca]

I see a trend. I have no further comment.

I also see a trend. You keep saying constantly the same and I keep responding the same. Which means we are going in circles.

 

[kwanfan1818]

That’s what you keep saying, but if other skaters could manage it within the time window, why she needs special treatment? As the European champion, she must know that her actions will be scrutinised because the federation doesn’t want to give the message that top skaters don’t have to follow the rules. As far as I am concerned, she got off lightly. Look what happened to Lozko.

We already know that top skaters don't always have to follow the rules. Perhaps what happened to Lozko was because she wasn't considered a top skater. Perhaps what happened to Kolyada was because he was.

"[M]anage it within the time window" can mean a number of things, like 1. Applied in time 2. Things made them want to change, including returning conditions, after the window but they a. Realized there was zero chance of getting an exception, b. Couldn't train without the funds already allocated to their current rink even if an exception were granted c. Realized it would be political death to ask for an exemption (ex: Lozko), etc.

If they never made exceptions, no matter what, like cases where there have been scoring errorsthe scores/rankings weren't changed even when in error (see Tim Woods), that would be one thing. But in this case, there is a current example of the Fed making an exception for Kolyada, then there is at least one acceptable reason for why a top skater couldn't manage it within the time window.

It's not like an exception would cost Kostornaia nothing, in the way Kolyada seems to be getting a free pass from social and mainstream media.

 

[Tinami Amori]

That’s what you keep saying, but if other skaters could manage it within the time window, why she needs special treatment? As the European champion, she must know that her actions will be scrutinised because the federation doesn’t want to give the message that top skaters don’t have to follow the rules. As far as I am concerned, she got off lightly. Look what happened to Lozko.

ETA about Kolyada. He is not on a National Team and there is not issue of transferring funding.

 

[hanca]

ETA about Kolyada. He is not on a National Team and there is not issue of transferring funding.

There may not be funding in terms of regular payments (like salary) and the federation may not contribute to his costumes or skates because he is not on the team, but I doubt that he actually pays for the ice or for coaching. And that’s why I think he should be expected to obey the rules too. Although it may be the reason why they are not making such a fuss as with Kostornaya, because if he doesn’t get any money, they don’t have much power over him (not as if they could threaten to withold the funding).

 

[Sylvia]

Kolyada is listed as reserve on the senior national team, along with Roman Savosin and Anton Shulepov - do reserve members receive some funding?

 

[Ka3sha]

Kolyada is listed as reserve on the senior national team, along with Roman Savosin and Anton Shulepov - do reserve members receive some funding?

Yes, just less than the main team members.
He is also on the St Petersburg team and gets some city budget.

 

[Ka3sha]

Evgenia Medvedeva's interview for Russian Olympic Committee:
Haven't watched it myself, just took translation from that user on twitter

• 5 words you associate with figure skating?
• Of course it's music, pleasure, speed, difficulties and victories. And all these words complement each other perfectly and thanks to them figure skating and such interesting life stories, that we, skaters, have actually exist.
• How to wake up with the first ring of the alarm?
• I always wake up with the first ring of the alarm. Why? Because I wake up late, usually my alarm is set to 9 a.m cause I don't have early training sessions. And even if it's int the schedule I usually miss it......мAt Cricket in Canada we have ice at 8:30 a.m. I went there like 5-6 times in 3 years and in the end I abandoned this idea because in the morning I'm absolutely unproductive.
• Brian Orser recently said that you have the "Evgenia", "Yuzuru", "Jason" exercises. How did they appear and how does it actually work?
• Yes, it's true, we have the named exercises. Sometimes they change. Why they are named? Because everyone sometimes come up with their own exercise and does it during warm-up. Then Brian or Tracy see it and are like: "Hm, interesting exercise , let's name it after you". I have two of them already always have to clarify which one. So yes, we do have this funny tradition.
• Which one of your wonderful programs makes you experience a special range of feelings? - You know, I try not to skate the idea I don't like, it'll be an absolutely dead program. I always choose music that gives me goosebumps. And the most memorable one? Well, of course «Memoirs of a Geisha» because it's probably the first program in which I put so much of myself. And it means very much to me not only in sports but also in personal way. This program symbolizes my personal growth.
• Would you try bungee jumping or jumping with the parachute. Or would you go into space?
• In daily life I'm an absolute coward so no I wouldn't jump. Maybe I would go into space because nothing would depend on me and the shuttle would be run by a huge amount of professionals o maybe I would go into space but I wouldn't jump. First of all I'm afraid of heights just like my mom and I try to avoid everything that could be harmful for my health. That's why I learned to ride a bike at 20. In childhood lots of my friends broke arms and legs falling from bikes, scooters, roller-skates. So I thought I will go try to ride a bike, fell, broke my leg and won't skate for six months. So the answer is no.
• What special dish that your mom makes is your favorite and what diet do you follow?
• It's a funny question because there is no special dish. But there's a combination my mom showed me. It's insanely tasty but sounds very very weird. It's bread, butter and pickles with black very sweet tea.
• Zhenya, if your life were a movie what'd it be about?
• Well, I think it's clear it would be about figure skating. I hope one day it will appear cause my career really is full of unusual events and it'd be cool if there was a film and the main part was played by Emma Watson!
• Which program of other skaters was memorable in terms of choreography?
• In the past season many people had original programs. I remembered Papadakis/Cizeron free. It's very minimalistic but with huge meaning which touches to the core. Also there's Mariah Bells's SP. It's very funny, cheerful and unusual. Usually nobody choose such popular songs. She skated to Britney Spears which is already untypical and it turned out very good, she looked very cool in this program.
• What would you like to learn doing outside of sports?
• You all know I draw very much but I do it only on IPad in digital and of course it's easier because you can undo something, spread something very beautifully, there are lots of effects. But I would like to learn drawing on the canvas with paint. And start with watercolor.
• If you had an opportunity to go to the past what would you say to yourself, what advice would you give?
• The only thing I'd say is "Everything goes by, this too shall pass" from the legend about the ring. There were many difficult moments after which I really wanted to give up but I was going, going and going forward anyways. I have family, parents, friends who didn't let me give up and helped me to move forward. Very often I want to go back to the moments when it was insanely difficult and it seemed like it's the end and come up to my maybe very young and little self and tell that in the future everything will be fine, all the difficulties will go away and the sun will start shining again.
• In the past season you skated to «Memoirs of a Geisha». And how would you call memoirs describing your life?
• There definitely'll be memoirs, my biography written by me, I don't know when, the work hasn't started yet but it'll happen 100%. I plan to do it after retirement so it could embrace my whole career from start to finish on ice and off ice. I have plans in my head, it's like drawing a picture. I don't know how to name it, haven't thought about it yet but there certainly will be something.

 

[Ka3sha]

Russian Cup events: entries lists for main team members
]https://www.fsrussia.ru/files/docs/cor2021_competitors.pdf

Syzran (September, 18-22):
Samarin, Ignatov, Savosin, Shulepov
Scherbakova, Medvedeva, Sinitsyna
Morozov/Bagin, Shevchenko/Eremenko, Khudaberdieva/Bazin, Tarasova/Morozov, Panfilova/Rylov

Moscow (October, 10-13):
Danielian, Samarin, Gumennik, Shulepov
Trusova, Medvedeva
Sinitsina/Katsalapov, Morozov/Bagin, Konkina/Drozd
Tarasova/Morozov, Pavluchenko/Khodykin, Mishina/Gallyamov, Pepeleva/Pleshkov

Sochi (October, 23-27):
Aliev, Mozalev, Kolyada
Scherbakova, Tuktamysheva, Gulyakova, Samodurova
Sinitsina/Katsalapov, Zahorski/Gureirro, Shpilevaya/Smirnov, Khudaberdieva/Bazin
Boikova/Kozlovskii, Pavluchenko/Khodykin, Pepeleva/Pleshkov

Kazan (November, 8-12)
Danielian, Ignatov, Mozalev, Savosin
Kostornaia, Trusova, Samodurova
Stepanova/Bukin, Skoptsova/Aleshin, Shevchenko/Eremenko, Shpilevaya/Smirnov
Mishina/Gallyamov

Moscow (December, 5-8)
Aliev, Gumennik, Kolyada
Kostornaia, Tuktamysheva, Gulyakova, Sinitsina
Stepanova/Bukin, Zahorski/Guerriro, Skoptsova/Aleshin, Konkina/Drozd
Boikova/Kozlovskii, Panfilova/Rylov

 

[Cherub721]

Russian Cup events: entries lists for main team members
]https://www.fsrussia.ru/files/docs/cor2021_competitors.pdf

Moscow pairs event is lit. Couples 2-5 from Nationals!

Isn't Shpilevaya recovering from crud? Kind of surprised to see them on the list.

Kostornaya vs Trusova in Kazan

 

[DobrinFan]

Kazan (November, 8-12)
Danielian, Ignatov, Mozalev, Samarin

Savosin

 

[Ka3sha]

Savosin

Thanks!

I blame @Jeschke

 

[ChelleC]

The rosters for Russia Cup look more exciting than most of the Grand Prix events will be.