Russian figure skating news & updates in 2022

[Amy L]

Speaking of propaganda…so only Russia produces skaters who are capable of “some decent skating” unlike what we’ll see in the ISU GP series this upcoming season where the rest of world will be competing…those other feds just produce…”indecent skating”.

I still say international pairs are questionable, but it's less that the others are "indecent" (well, some of the lifts...), it's more like there was a big gap after the Russian and Chinese pairs, and then an even bigger gap after the NA pairs. It's hard to build a good pair team at all and just about impossible to build up an entire stable of pairs without getting a brutal dictatorship involved (whether that's the federal government or particularly nasty coaching teams). I will say that I didn't miss the Danny G mimefest at Worlds and I don't imagine that I will miss them in the future either. But like I've said, I don't like ladieszzzz as much as the other 3 disciplines, and the indecent ones are more fun anyways

 

[Karen-W]

I find it laughable that anyone thinks that Russian men are going to produce better skating on their GP than the ISU GP's men, but to each his own, I suppose. Dance... There are a handful of good Russian teams at the top - and, on paper, a couple of new teams that could be good, but there's not the kind of depth that can support the notion that a Russian GP will produce better skating and competitions than the ISU's GP. I'll grant anyone Russian pairs over most of the rest of the world at this time - apart from the top 3 non-Russian teams (and I'll be sad to not see MishGal, BoiKoz, etc competing this season). And then the women - there's just a lot to unpack there in the Russian women's program, with regard to potential doping, questionable technique, abusive training practices, etc. Sure, on paper, they have higher TES, and I've been a fan of some of them (Muravieva, Kostornaia, Tuktamysheva, even Valieva before the doping situation), but I can't and won't support Russian skating right now. Leaving aside which skaters or coaches have kept silent on the war, it's all an extension of the state and props up Putin. I know many of them are in a difficult position and I don't fault them for that (I haven't stopped following BoiKoz, MishGal or Tukt on IG, lol), and I'll be happy if they're able to skate internationally again once the war is over.

For what it's worth, I'd feel the same about Chinese skaters if an invasion of Taiwan happens - I'll miss Peng/Jin and Wang/Liu, but I wouldn't want them competing internationally.

 

[canbelto]

Viktor Petrenko situation made the NYT:

Ukraine Disowns an Olympic Champion Who Skated in Russia (Published 2022)

Viktor Petrenko, who won a gold medal at the 1992 Winter Games, has been shunned by Ukrainian figure skating officials — and by President Volodymyr Zelensky — after performing in Sochi, Russia.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Bouffantrex]

But I love skating, and I am not willing to lie to myself that watching ISU GP will be as satisfying for me.

You claim you love skating and yet you're willfully seeking out Daniil Gleikhengauz choreography. Somehow I find that difficult to reconcile.

But watching this thread, it doesn’t seem to be about clean sport, it is about ‘at least now we can get the bloody medals’ thinking.

My statements have nothing to do with a jingoistic thirst for medals. In fact, any passionate investment in North American figure skating medals are twenty years in my past.

I desire for Putin's war to end, for Ukraine to remain a sovereign country, and once that happens, a level playing field for all competitors, which includes clean sport and zero tolerance for doping, state-sponsored or otherwise.

The hypocrisy when everyone is pretending that their motive is clean sport, when the only things they seem to care is about the medals their skaters can get, in any way, including getting rid of their competitors if they are unable to beat them in competition.

Of course, you are free to worship Madam Tutberidze and her skaters (which, when it comes to ladies, IS Russian figure skating). But writing off valid criticisms of Russia and Russian figure skating as simply "getting rid of their competitors if they are unable to beat them" is deluded at best.

 

[On My Own]

 

[Trillian]

The hypocrisy when everyone is pretending that their motive is clean sport, when the only things they seem to care is about the medals their skaters can get, in any way, including getting rid of their competitors if they are unable to beat them in competition.

We’re not hypocrites, we just understand the sport enough to recognize that the Russian girls haven’t been winning so many medals due to superior talent. We want the scores to actually reflect what happens on the ice, and - unlike you, apparently - we don’t enjoy seeing little girls being physically abused so that adults can profit from their bodies. Many of us don’t even have particular favorites in women’s skating, we’re just tired of seeing the damage to both individual children and the sport as a whole because doped-up little girls are being overmarked all over the place. It’s weird that you keep insisting that cheating and abusing children is good for the sport. We’re not the unreasonable ones here.

I will be watching the Russian cups/Russian GP, because at least there will be some decent skating. Unlike at the ISU GP events. And no, I don’t support the war. But I love skating, and I am not willing to lie to myself that watching ISU GP will be as satisfying for me.

If you love skating, you should probably consider watching the GP so you can learn what skating actually entails beyond a couple of pretend “quads,” because you’re not going to get much else from the Russian events.

I will miss seeing the Russian pairs, but on the other hand, it’s a lot harder to enjoy them without knowing how extensive the state-sponsored doping program has been. Considering how hard the discipline has been to develop in countries where it isn’t heavily state-sponsored, it’s pretty obvious that it needs an overhaul or it needs to disappear.

If anyone is really feeling the loss of the Russians in mens or dance, they must have very particular tastes. There will still be plenty of great skaters in both of those disciplines.

 

[On My Own]

No one country or one athlete is indispensable to sport. As we have learned time & time & time again over the decades.

(Poor Fanyus).

Crazy ex-girlfriend says: You'll be nothing without me! Nothing! You dumped me?! NO, I dumped YOU! Good luck finding someone else, you're not even that cute! And I've been cheating on you!

Normal person laughs and moves on, thanking his lucky stars.

 

[Frau Muller]

Folks keep saying,”…after the war ends, when Russia returns to competition…” I’m not sure that things can snap back to normal. After the destruction there should be war-crimes trials and payment of reparations.

It could easily be three or four years down the road after cessation of hostilities before there’s a return of the “good old days” of Russia being welcomed back to the fold - in sport and ballet touring. Maybe after the 2026 Olympics? No Bolshoi Ballet Swan Lakes in London or NYC in the next few years! No Rostelecom Cups, etc.

 

[muffinplus]

This thread has become so pathetically hateful and condescending .. like the sole purpose is for other to just shit on skaters who are from Russia and then to witch hunt others who disagree with that not that it was any good before but now especially…. is this really a thread about discussing Russian skating news anymore?

So basically doping has been around in Russia for a while but since the Valieva scandal apparently every medal they ever won in skating is not due to talent but doping.. and you know if you think otherwise then you are just gonna be called delusional . And yes “we don’t have favourites at all… we just care so much” …puleease. And Russian ladies skating being reduced to just fake quads and nothing else i am NOT even talking about Eteri students... do you actually watch skating ?

whatever you need tell yourself to get through the day in regards to the results of the last few years.. if you want to think that doping / abuse can be the only reason Russian athletes won …be my guest. i am not even saying state sponsored doping does not put in doubt the results in Russian skating but to basically erase the results as doping induced only is really plain and simple reductionism…

Please do not bother responding to me with the usual condescending “you support abuse/ doping/“ etc and no need to tell me to go to Golden Skate Russian thread . If that forum is Russian propaganda ( I don’t know.. I don’t go) this forum has basically become a collection of haters.

For the record I find ladies to be boring in general…it was okay at Worlds.. but nowhere near as exciting as ice dance, which was amazing (without Russians).

Men’s and ice dance have not lost anything without the Russian skaters… pairs and ladies have though.

 

[hanca]

Please do not bother responding to me with the usual condescending “you support abuse/ doping/“ etc and no need to tell me to go to Golden Skate Russian thread . If that forum is Russian propaganda ( I don’t know.. I don’t go) this forum has basically become a collection of haters.

That’s exactly what I feel. This thread became quite toxic.

 

[Trillian]

I don’t think anyone is really denying that Russia has produced some great skating, but here’s the deal. There are some great, beautiful, amazing Russian skaters, but:

A) In three of the four disciplines, there are plenty of equally enjoyable skaters to watch, so the sport as a whole will be fine without them. As for pairs, if it’s so reliant on just a few countries, that’s a problem anyway.

B) Most of the top Russian “women” for years now have been young girls who were blatantly overmarked while their coaches gave casual interviews explaining in detail how the girls were being abused. This is not speculation. Everyone involved has discussed it publicly. Many of them have had some wonderful qualities about their skating, but they would have been able to develop their talent more fully if the jumps weren’t being prioritized at the expense of everything else, if they had access to a competent choreographer, and if they weren’t being abused.

C) Presumably not all Russian skaters were doping. But we know the Russian sports regime as a whole has a long history of extensive state-sponsored doping and we know that has recently included figure skaters. Because of that, we know that any of them might be doping - Zhulin even said as much. For those who care, it’s harder to enjoy even the best skaters when you know there’s a reasonable possibility there’s cheating involved. That’s literally the reason the rules exist.

 

[clairecloutier]

Among other issues, the arrogance is just galling. And it's the official party line of Russian skating.

Kamila Valieva: “It’s a pity that we can’t go to international competitions. But sport is about competing with the best and they all live and skate in Russia.”

Interview with Kamila Valieva. About new season, motivation and performing in shows.

fs-gossips.com

The new season will be very unusual for all Russian athletes. How is it like, not to compete internationally? ...

Kamila Valieva: It’s a pity, of course, that we can’t go to international competitions. But the main rivals are all in Russia. And sport is about competitions between the best. So no doubt, the new season will be interesting, and the fight will be exciting.

Your colleague Zhenya Medvedeva told us in a recent interview that in this difficult time she advises skaters to look for motivation “in themselves, in their souls, in love for their work.” ...

Kamila Valieva: I absolutely agree with Zhenya. And I would also add – the opportunity to compete with the strongest and most titled figure skaters in the world. I repeat once again: they all live and skate in Russia. And it’s an honor to compete with the best.

 

[allezfred]

The hypocrisy when everyone is pretending that their motive is clean sport, when the only things they seem to care is about the medals their skaters can get, in any way, including getting rid of their competitors if they are unable to beat them in competition.

Does that mean that because I support the ban on Russian skaters competing Irish skaters will now get medals instead?

I will be watching the Russian cups/Russian GP, because at least there will be some decent skating. Unlike at the ISU GP events.

When you write rubbish like this, it actually proves that you are only a fan of Russian skaters.

Sad that we won’t get to see Russian pairs for the foreseeable future. But you know what is sadder? Ukrainian skaters having their rinks bombed and loved ones die and then being expected to compete against athletes funded by the same regime doing the bombing and killing.

 

[On My Own]

My favorite part about "decent skating" at Russian local GPs is that it's such a laughable comment, it can make you cry with laughter. You ever watched Shcherbakova, Trusova, M/G, Kozlovskii, P/K's skating? They learn how to not limp their crossovers yet?

People can watch this Long John Silver skating at Russian GP, bye! Happily the rest of us like real skating, however "indecent" it is.

 

[Karen-W]

Among other issues, the arrogance is just galling. And it's the official party line of Russian skating.

Kamila Valieva: “It’s a pity that we can’t go to international competitions. But sport is about competing with the best and they all live and skate in Russia.”

Interview with Kamila Valieva. About new season, motivation and performing in shows.

fs-gossips.com

I really love the following tweet in response to these latest Valieva comments...

https://twitter.com/alexa_knierim/status/1557005138719821824?t=0s4vKT5yokZf71xhBUSQMg&s=19

 

[canbelto]

My favorite part about "decent skating" at Russian local GPs is that it's such a laughable comment, it can make you cry with laughter. You ever watched Shcherbakova, Trusova, M/G, Kozlovskii, P/K's skating? They learn how to not limp their crossovers yet?

People can watch this Long John Silver skating at Russian GP, bye! Happily the rest of us like real skating, however "indecent" it is.

You seem nice.

 

[hanca]

Does that mean that because I support the ban on Russian skaters competing Irish skaters will now get medals instead?

Possibly, if you manage to create a pair. The field is so empty at the moment that the medals could be anybody’s. I am really not looking forward having a podium at worlds with pairs who have double jumps, double twists and double throws.

 

[Coco]

Apparently Kostornaya's surgery was postponed because she was sick and had to be hospitalized in the infectious disease ward. Surgery is rescheduled and someone online is doing a fundraiser.

 

[Sylvia]

I am really not looking forward having a podium at worlds with pairs who have double jumps, double twists and double throws.

I did post a link to a new interview wiith Kadyrova/Kolesov yesterday - not all of us are "bashing" Russian skaters in this thread.

 

[Karen-W]

Possibly, if you manage to create a pair. The field is so empty at the moment that the medals could be anybody’s. I am really not looking forward having a podium at worlds with pairs who have double jumps, double twists and double throws.

I really don't think you have to worry about that. The rest of the world still has Knierim/Frazier, Peng/Jin, Miura/Kihara, Safina/Berulava, Ghilardi/Ambrosini, Metelkina/Parkman, Golubeva/Giotopoulos Moore, Chan/Howe, Stellato/Deschamps, and a bunch of developing teams from a variety of countries.

 

[hanca]

When you write rubbish like this, it actually proves that you are only a fan of Russian skaters.

You seem to be preoccupied by whose fan I am! Unlike you, I don’t base my support for skaters based on their nationality. Yes, I do like some Russian skaters, but I also liked Mao Asada, several Chinese pairs, some US men (e.g. Nathan Chen), US dancers Davis/White… last time I checked, none of them is Russian.

Sad that we won’t get to see Russian pairs for the foreseeable future. But you know what is sadder? Ukrainian skaters having their rinks bombed and loved ones die and then being expected to compete against athletes funded by the same regime doing the bombing and killing.

I never claimed I support Russia as a country or their political regime. Unlike you, I actually lived in a country occupied by them, so I think I have some idea about what they are capable. But at the same time, I am not going to be blaming a group of skaters for the f**ked up system they were born into. For example, the juniors skaters don’t even have voting rights, and yet they are banned too…

 

[Rukia]

Apparently Kostornaya's surgery was postponed because she was sick and had to be hospitalized in the infectious disease ward. Surgery is rescheduled and someone online is doing a fundraiser.

Goodness she has the worst luck (or worst combination of questionable life choices and luck? idk). So much talent, but also so much has happened to her.

 

[Wyliefan]

That poor girl. If it weren't for bad luck, she'd have no luck at all.

 

[airgelaal]

Possibly, if you manage to create a pair. The field is so empty at the moment that the medals could be anybody’s. I am really not looking forward having a podium at worlds with pairs who have double jumps, double twists and double throws.

God, it's not like it's the first time this has happened. I still remember the season after Vancouver, when there were so few pairs that only 7 pairs competed at the last event. And in Sochi we saw 4 throw an 4 twist
This often happens after the end of the Olympic Games. But things will get better soon.

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

I've posted screen shots of The NY Times article on Victor Petrenko, for those who can't read it due to the paywall.

 

[canbelto]

Aww poor Aliona. Doesn't she have long CV too?

 

[VGThuy]

I really love the following tweet in response to these latest Valieva comments...

https://twitter.com/alexa_knierim/status/1557005138719821824?t=0s4vKT5yokZf71xhBUSQMg&s=19

And it goes to show you how even one act of cheating can have many victims.

 

[Lara]

Alexa Great response.

 

[On My Own]

Among other issues, the arrogance is just galling. And it's the official party line of Russian skating.

Kamila Valieva: “It’s a pity that we can’t go to international competitions. But sport is about competing with the best and they all live and skate in Russia.”

Interview with Kamila Valieva. About new season, motivation and performing in shows.

fs-gossips.com

For teens like Valieva, I think the party line is exactly what they're being fed, and since they're impressionable, I think they're consuming it acritically. I'm not sure what will happen to Russian mentality in the coming future with the censorship, propaganda, and pro-war sentiment, but it's scary (obviously this is not just limited to skating).

I hope "sensual" just means "relating to the senses". I haven't been keeping up with Russian performances, but it would be kind of gross if it's the usual meaning of "sensual".

 

[allezfred]

You seem to be preoccupied by whose fan I am! Unlike you, I don’t base my support for skaters based on their nationality. Yes, I do like some Russian skaters, but I also liked Mao Asada, several Chinese pairs, some US men (e.g. Nathan Chen), US dancers Davis/White… last time I checked, none of them is Russian.

Name someone actually competing this season and get back to me.

I never claimed I support Russia as a country or their political regime. Unlike you, I actually lived in a country occupied by them, so I think I have some idea about what they are capable. But at the same time, I am not going to be blaming a group of skaters for the f**ked up system they were born into. For example, the juniors skaters don’t even have voting rights, and yet they are banned too…

This is an argument against any sanctions on Russia at all. What makes athletes so special that they should be exempt from sanctions that ordinary Russians face?