ISU statement on Mariah Bell and Eun soo Lim

[alexikeguchi]

I'm relieved both Eunsoo and Mariah skated their best in the FS, and delighted that Mariah came out on top in both the segment and overall. There is cosmic justice...Take that ATS!

 

[barbarafan]

So now you are blaming the coach? It is the skaters responsibility to give way to whoever is doing their run through with their music on, not the coach’s responsibility to watch on behalf of a skater who couldn’t be bothered to look out. According to the rink’s rules about priority, it is pretty clear whose fault it is, so why do you keep trying to assign blame elsewhere except where it should be according to the rules?

I also did not like his behavior today for the free...When Eun Soo left the ice he held his arm out with her guards and did not even look at her..then turned his back on her. He sat beside her in the kiss n cry and ignored her. I guess she will be out the door shortly

 

[hanca]

I also did not like his behavior today for the free...When Eun Soo left the ice he held his arm out with her guards and did not even look at her..then turned his back on her. He sat beside her in the kiss n cry and ignored her. I guess she will be out the door shortly

I am not surprised he behaved that way, after all this. I wouldn’t be surprised if he dumped her. He doesn’t need her, and all this wasn’t great for his business.

 

[coppertop1]

Lets just ban Lim and Bell for life, according to people on here. It was an accident. Even the ISU said so. Move on and stop acting like judge, jury and executioner. Good grief.

 

[Spun Silver]

I also did not like his behavior today for the free...When Eun Soo left the ice he held his arm out with her guards and did not even look at her..then turned his back on her. He sat beside her in the kiss n cry and ignored her. I guess she will be out the door shortly

How do you know her team didn't already give him notice?

 

[jiejie]

I also did not like his behavior today for the free...When Eun Soo left the ice he held his arm out with her guards and did not even look at her..then turned his back on her. He sat beside her in the kiss n cry and ignored her. I guess she will be out the door shortly

Are you for real? After Team Eunsoo created this mess, including the implication that bullying took place under his watch at his training rink which for Rafael is the real issue (not the practice incident). His reputation was put under a cloud, and you expect him to be warm and cuddly with her? I give him kudos for being professional enough to even fulfill his duty and sit with her.

If she's out the door at his rink, she can blame the adults around her: agent, federation, parent(s) for her problems. Likely she'll be going back to Korea for coaching, since no foreign coach in his right mind would take her on, at least not if she stays with ATS.

You are clearly working overtime to be an apologist and place blame everywhere except where it belongs--with the liars and manipulators that surround this girl. I find your attitude disgraceful.

 

[barbarafan]

How do you know her team didn't already give him notice?

I don't ....I said I guess. She seemed ok to him but he was P**Issy. She is a 16yr old girl. This is such a shame. She skates so beautifully. I suppose there are announcements coming.

 

[Vagabond]

I have read that thread, but don't see clear examples of xenophobia by South Korean athletes and sports management agencies.

I would suggest that you do a little reading on your own about what the South Korean athletes mentioned in that thread actually said and did and about what ATS has done with regard to the treatment of Yuna Kim and Eun Soo Lim outside of South Korea.

It is not the responsibility of posters in a U.S. Ladies figure skating thread to do your learning for you.

 

[Rafter]

Lead story on NBC Nightly News??? This isn't the 1st time this has happened, even with this agency. I remember the stink they rose with Denis Ten. But why is this story gaining so much traction worldwide by major news corporations? This is really weird.

What did they do with Denis Ten?

 

[barbarafan]

Are you for real? After Team Eunsoo created this mess, including the implication that bullying took place under his watch at his training rink which for Rafael is the real issue (not the practice incident). His reputation was put under a cloud, and you expect him to be warm and cuddly with her? I give him kudos for being professional enough to even fulfill his duty and sit with her.

If she's out the door at his rink, she can blame the adults around her: agent, federation, parent(s) for her problems. Likely she'll be going back to Korea for coaching, since no foreign coach in his right mind would take her on, at least not if she stays with ATS.

You are clearly working overtime to be an apologist and place blame everywhere except where it belongs--with the liars and manipulators that surround this girl. I find your attitude disgraceful.

Your opinion of myself is although far less than intelligent is also irrelevant but we have no proof that bullying at the rink did not occur. He is an adult and should have been more professional. He obviously has his favourites. This is really so sad.

 

[becca]

Your opinion of myself is although far less than intelligent is also irrelevant but we have no proof that bullying at the rink did not occur. He is an adult and should have been more professional. He obviously has his favourites. This is really so sad.

Even if bullying bad blood occured there is a proper way to handle things like going to the coach before going to the media. Rafe is on record she didn’t.

It sucks for her but her managers should start acting like adults.

 

[snoopy]

The accuser requires the proof.

 

[UGG]

Your opinion of myself is although far less than intelligent is also irrelevant but we have no proof that bullying at the rink did not occur. He is an adult and should have been more professional. He obviously has his favourites. This is really so sad.

I am going to assume bullying has not taken place as Eunsoo’s agents are confirmed liars. To accuse another skater of stabbing and kicking when it clearly didn’t happen points me in the direction that bullying also didn’t happen. If they feel comfortable outright lying about an incident that could be quickly disputed by eye witnesses and video, Who knows what else they lie about.

 

[Rafter]

Personally, before we jump on Eunsoo demanding apologies, I still want to hear more about what's going on at home. If she's being antagonized to the point where a routine accident comes off as malicious and intentional, that's a big problem.

I'm waiting to see the results from the mediation after the free before I make any strong judgments either way.

I agree with this. It seems to me that the practice incident was totally accidental on Bell’s part but I’m curious about the talk of bullying at the home rink.

On another more vain note, Lim is a vision out there. Gorgeous girl and costuming.

 

[BittyBug]

... but he was P**Issy

Raf always looks pissy, LOL. Especially when one of his skaters falls.

 

[JamieElena]

And unfortunately because they led with these lies, not only is everything else they've said under suspicion, they now have double the burden to prove anything they say is true. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

I am going to assume bullying has not taken place as Eunsoo’s agents are confirmed liars. To accuse another skater of stabbing and kicking when it clearly didn’t happen points me in the direction that bullying also didn’t happen. If they feel comfortable outright lying about an incident that could be quickly disputed by eye witnesses and video, Who knows what else they lie about.

 

[barbarafan]

Raf always looks pissy, LOL. Especially when one of his skaters falls.

This is true...but it was the passing of the guards and turning his back that made me feel bad.

 

[Rafter]

It seems Raf has a decision to make

Yes. I will be absolutely shocked if Lim continues training there.

 

[Rafter]

I don't ....I said I guess. She seemed ok to him but he was P**Issy. She is a 16yr old girl. This is such a shame. She skates so beautifully. I suppose there are announcements coming.

He also could have been mad at her for her mistakes in the LP. We’ve seen him do this before with other skaters.

 

[sk8nlizard]

I noticed the tension in the K and C with them as well. However, he wasn’t all warm and fuzzy to Mariah Bell, a pat on the arm and saying something about how she was a bit slow. So, while there was tension it wasn’t like he was a total teddy bear to Mariah either.

 

[bardtoob]

Maybe he was with Nathan.

And they're not "girls", they are athletes.

Can they be "ladies"? That's the division they are entered.

 

[Tavi]

This is true...but it was the passing of the guards and turning his back that made me feel bad.

It’s clear there was discomfort or awkwardness between Raf and Eun-Soo in the kiss n cry, but it did not appear one-sided to me; I don’t recall her turning towards him once or saying a single word to him. Without knowing what exactly is going on behind the scenes, I don’t think it’s fair to judge the interaction.

 

[kwanatic]

This is true...but it was the passing of the guards and turning his back that made me feel bad.

News Flash: Raf is not known for being super fluffy and happy after his skaters make silly mistakes. Eunsoo's fall on her 3F was the only thing that stopped her from having a clean skate.

She should be happy she didn't get the death stare he gave Ashley Wagner. He didn't say one word to her the whole time they were in the K&C.

 

[barbarafan]

New Flash: Raf is not known for being super fluffy and happy after his skaters make silly mistakes. Eunsoo's fall on her 3F was the only thing that stopped her from having a clean skate.

She should be happy she didn't get the death stare he gave Ashley Wagner. He didn't say one word to her the whole time they were in the K&C.

Ouch

 

[kwanatic]

Ouch

Dude is hella terrifying sometimes

 

[Wyliefan]

I am going to assume bullying has not taken place as Eunsoo’s agents are confirmed liars. To accuse another skater of stabbing and kicking when it clearly didn’t happen points me in the direction that bullying also didn’t happen. If they feel comfortable outright lying about an incident that could be quickly disputed by eye witnesses and video, Who knows what else they lie about.

Right. But it was the bullying allegations that made the whole thing blow up. If they can be disproven, they need to be, and quickly.

 

[MarieM]

------
If she's out the door at his rink, she can blame the adults around her: agent, federation, parent(s) for her problems. Likely she'll be going back to Korea for coaching, since no foreign coach in his right mind would take her on, at least not if she stays with ATS.
-----

Yup IMO that is exactly what is going to happen. The girl herself is lovely, but every adults around her are not. And they are trouble. As if the skating world isn't already a bother on the whole.
As a coach I would not even bother at all.

 

[MsZem]

Right. But it was the bullying allegations that made the whole thing blow up. If they can be disproven, they need to be, and quickly.

How do you disprove such a thing? It's not like Bell can present an alibi, and skaters who've said that they saw no bullying or that Raf wouldn't stand for it (Rippon, Wagner) were accused of enabling bullying. Given that the one accusation for which relevant video emerged turned out to be false, it really undermines the rest of the allegations.

The onus is on ATS to provide evidence that supports their claims. If they can't, they owe Bell an apology at the very least.

 

[Wyliefan]

It was alleged that Mariah received a warning and that they had to be separated. If those things are true, wouldn't be there some sort of record?

 

[snoopy]

Lim is talented, some coach will definitely take her.

Her options are a bit limited though as I’ve never heard of Japanese coaches taking foreign skaters and it is a really rare occurrence for Russian coaches to do so. I would assume Brian won’t take her because of ats (but you never know.). However, Tom Z would jump at the chance, l bet.