Long interview with Liza Tuktamysheva, here are the excerpts about her decision to stop competing/ competing as neutral athletes.
- How did your coach Alexey Mishin react when you told him about the decision to suspend your career?
- I saw in his eyes that he was a bit upset and wanted me to continue skating. But I never heard anything like: “You must continue...” from him. He understood my situation, accepted it and did not impose his opinion on me. We just talked about how I can always come to his skating rink. Sometimes I help him to work with the guys. We are still in contact and life has not separated us.
- Your decision created a lot of noise on the Internet. The reactions were different. One of the most frequent: “This is not a career suspension, this is a retirement.” What woyld your answer to this?
- I will say that I can return on the ice and get both triple axels and three-three combinations back if I wish and have enough motivation. Moreover, I don’t quit sports. I still skate in the shows, I jump lutzes. If I'm excited, I can do a triple axel too. That is, I am not quitting and have not hung up my skates. At least I believe so. I have some great examples of those who returned back to sports even after a two-year break, like Evgeni Plushenko.
- Is the decision somehow related to the fact that international competitions are currently unavailable to our athletes?
- Once you have tasted international victories, of course, traveling around Russia is no longer so interesting.
- Do you feel that this situation has taken something away from you personally - with the ban on participation in international competitions, the Olympic Games, the requirement to perform with neutral flags?
- For quite a long time, and sometimes for years, I skated successfully in the sport when we were still allowed. I've won quite a lot and I don't feel like I've missed out on anything over the past two years. I have already become a world and European champion, in general I am satisfied with what I have. But I'm afraid that the younger generation may have a different feeling. It seems to me that what to do in their case is a more difficult question.
- For us, for our country, is figure skating a new ballet, a new space industry, something that unites us and constitutes national pride?
- I think there is some truth in this. Compared to 2010, we have a lot of champions in singles and pairs skating, and in ice dance. Our figure skating is now famous for the fact that we have a great school. Children watch competitions, parents want to send their children to this sport. It is very beautiful and very difficult, just like ballet, where the load is enormous and it is incredibly difficult to break through.
- Would you skate under a neutral flag if there was no other option to get to international competitions?
- I think if the federation had sent its athletes under a neutral flag, if such a possibility had been there, I definitely would not have refused. Of course, I would go, because I really love this whole atmosphere of international competitions.
- Soviet athletes sometimes felt like legionnaires, gladiators who competed for the flag of their country. Who acted not for themselves, not for the sake of their own ambitions, but specifically for the flag. What are you skating for?
- In this regard, I am more selfish than Soviet athletes. I always skated for myself and for my coaching team. It was important for me to show myself and that it was Liza Tuktamysheva who won the first place. I'm a simple girl in this regard.
Don't mind the interviewer and her questions.. asking about "getting any kids soon?" or "do you want to be elected to the State Duma?"
– We have a lot of athletes in the State Duma, in the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg. What do you think about it for yourself? Will you ever become a deputy?
– I’m not considering this option for myself now.
– And if they offer it, they will say: “Liza, you can make an influence. Come on, run for office."
- For now, definitely not.
– Would you become a trusted face of a presidential candidate? In the spring there may just be such an opportunity.
- I don’t even know what they are doing. And when I don’t understand or don’t know something, I don’t poke my nose in there.