Repercussions of Papadakis' book & Cizeron's response

[Taso]

This is my Story was Fergie's experience in the Royal Family. I Tonya was a movie but i believe she also wrote a book. Same theme, something bad happened to me and here is what it was.........Mommie Dearest is another one.

To be honest, I really could care less about the book in question and am quite surprised at the outrage my comment engendered.

To create awareness in the skating world about bad things is likely better covered by investigations and reports of official wrongdoings/abuse/charges/etc.

If you have read any threads here, you might have noticed a pattern that INVESTIGATIONS AND REPORTS OF OFFICIAL WRONGDOINGS/ABUSE/CHARGERS/ETC. ARE OFTEN NOT PROPERLY FOLLOWED UP UPON BY AUTHORITIES AND FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS IN PART BECAUSE THIS SPORT IS SO INTERNATIONAL, ALONG WITH HISTORICAL PATTERNS OF NEGLECTED CONTINUITY OF REPORTING BY VARIOUS LEVELS OF AUTHORITY FIGURES WITH RESPECT TO SKATER REPORTS.

But I am sure I am wasting my breath since you haven't noticed this trend yourself through dozens upon dozens of pages with reporting issues over many years.

 

[cholla]

This is my Story was Fergie's experience in the Royal Family.

Sorry I read a book with the same title and it wasn't at all something like this!

Mommie Dearest is another one.

Well, Catherine Papadakis is fortunately no Joan Crawford.

To be honest, I really could care less about the book in question and am quite surprised at the outrage my comment engendered.

I think the outrage comes from the fact Papadakis' book speaks out against an extremely dysfonctional and perverse system that has damaged a lot of athletes and you seem to consider this as merely trivial personal babbling.

To create awareness in the skating world about bad things is likely better covered by investigations and reports of official wrongdoings/abuse/charges/etc.

And it is because in the past investigations and reports have not been made, because victims, knowing they won't be heard, don't report abuse or give up after trying, that some other people eventually speak up. If you think that pressing charges is enough, then you have no idea of how things work despite it has been depicted again and again on this board, and by other skaters. Your posts make it sound like the victims are to blame because they don't do things right. And you're surprised you're sparking outrage, really?

But OK, I agree with @Taso, we are obviously wasting our breath.

 

[overedge]

Part of the reason for the book, IMO, is that investigations and reports rarely result in any substantive action or long-term change.

For evidence that they don't work, you don't have to look any further than one of Guillaume's current coaches still being involved in the sport.

 

[Vagabond]

This is my Story was Fergie's experience in the Royal Family.

No wonder why I couldn't find it with an Internet search! The book was published under a different, but similar, title.

I have to say that neither Prince Harry, Fergie, nor even Tonya Harding is particularly known for having a controlling and demanding skating partner, but perhaps you, without having read Papadakis's book, see other parallels.

 

[Winnipeg]

Well, I certainly know where I stand on this topic! I have a view based on past experiences, stated it and am totally supportive and open to others who disagree with what I have posted.

 

[MacMadame]

To create awareness in the skating world about bad things is likely better covered by investigations and reports of official wrongdoings/abuse/charges/etc.

Skating culture is very toxic at times and (some) places. But not everything that is toxic is actionable. That doesn't mean they shouldn't be talked about as part of changing that culture. Some examples:

1) The boy's wishes and ideas are more catered to than the girl's
2) People are pressured to do things they don't want to and may be harmful to them in the long run, "for the good of their career," Such as:
a) staying in the closet
b) delaying surgery until the season is over (or even later than that)
c) breaking up with a romantic partner
d) staying with a certain coach who isn't ideal for them or is emotionally abusive
e) ignoring substance abuse from a partner/parent of a partner/famous coach

So exactly who should these things be reported to? The emotional abuse is actionable but very hard to prove and there may be passive-aggressiveness going on that is borderline as well. The rest is not actionable and many can be chalked up to "you made these choices." But that doesn't mean they aren't toxic. And toxicity will never change if swept under the rug.

This doesn't even get into how investigations and reports which are normally carried out in secret with only a brief description of the outcome are going to change the culture.