Retired ice dancer Betina Popova on the toxic side of figure skating

[Sylvia]

«Нет, это не секс, покажи нормально!»: Бетина Попова о токсичной стороне фигурного катания

Нездоровый взгляд на отношения, трудности в восприятии своего тела и многое другое

www.wonderzine.com

Machine translated excerpts:

... If at least one girl reads my post and thinks about a problem that I have also encountered, for me it will already be happiness. I know for myself how girls at a certain age are subject to psychological pressure, especially in sports. We all, athletes, mostly perfectionists, very disciplined people, do not allow ourselves to live and relax. If at least one girl realizes that she is not alone in her experiences, then I will be happy.
...
Now the sensations are better: one door closes - hundreds of new ones open. For example, I try myself in tailoring: I sew, make, decorate, I really like it. Next year I will go to study in a new master's program. I have an education as a choreographer of GITIS, I can be a coach and choreographer, but I will develop in other directions that are new to me. I want to try myself in everything, find out what else I can. When you proved to yourself that you can skate for twenty-three years, that’s good. Then you need to do something else.

 

[Sylvia]

Betina Popova is the journalist’s dream. She speaks brightly and lively, always does it sincerely, for which, of course, she is constantly criticized by the fan community and sports officials. Her last posts on social networks is a valuable reflection of an adult athlete on the topic of her career, relationships with partners, coaches and herself. It is useful to read them to everyone who believes that figure skating is like a pink glazed donut with caramel filling. Does not look like. But the main thing here is not to hit the other extreme - to protect everyone, prohibit everything and permanently cancel it. Sport, like all of life, is much more complicated than the good-bad metric system.

With Betina’s consent, we recorded her story in the form of a monologue. This is the case when it does not matter how the questions were asked. Everything important, direct and injuring, she said herself.

THE COMPLEX STORY OF A TALENTED SKATER IN THE MONOLOGUE OF BETINA POPOVA

«ÐÑли Ð±Ñ Ð½Ðµ мое наигÑанное ÑаздолбайÑÑво, Ñ Ð±Ñ Ð½Ðµ ÑпÑавилаÑÑ». Ð¡Ð»Ð¾Ð¶Ð½Ð°Ñ Ð¸ÑÑоÑÐ¸Ñ ÑаланÑливой ÑигÑÑиÑÑки в монологе ÐеÑÐ¸Ð½Ñ Ðоповой

ÐоÑÐµÐ¼Ñ Ð½Ðµ нÑжно ÑоманÑизиÑоваÑÑ ÑпоÑÑ.

matchtv.ru

 

[Bigbird]

Betina Popova is the journalist’s dream. She speaks brightly and lively, always does it sincerely, for which, of course, she is constantly criticized by the fan community and sports officials. Her last posts on social networks is a valuable reflection of an adult athlete on the topic of her career, relationships with partners, coaches and herself. It is useful to read them to everyone who believes that figure skating is like a pink glazed donut with caramel filling. Does not look like. But the main thing here is not to hit the other extreme - to protect everyone, prohibit everything and permanently cancel it. Sport, like all of life, is much more complicated than the good-bad metric system.

With Betina’s consent, we recorded her story in the form of a monologue. This is the case when it does not matter how the questions were asked. Everything important, direct and injuring, she said herself.

THE COMPLEX STORY OF A TALENTED SKATER IN THE MONOLOGUE OF BETINA POPOVA

«ÐÑли Ð±Ñ Ð½Ðµ мое наигÑанное ÑаздолбайÑÑво, Ñ Ð±Ñ Ð½Ðµ ÑпÑавилаÑÑ». Ð¡Ð»Ð¾Ð¶Ð½Ð°Ñ Ð¸ÑÑоÑÐ¸Ñ ÑаланÑливой ÑигÑÑиÑÑки в монологе ÐеÑÐ¸Ð½Ñ Ðоповой

ÐоÑÐµÐ¼Ñ Ð½Ðµ нÑжно ÑоманÑизиÑоваÑÑ ÑпоÑÑ.

matchtv.ru

Nothing new in all said here. I just wished she had a healthier outlet or simply had the strength to step away.

This is a male dominated sport with very exacting expectations so if you don't have a certain genetic form and all the pills and diets simply are not working I wish they'd just spare themselves the aggravation. Some things are just not that important.