Sport-Express interview with Rafael Arutyunyan at the 2019 Grand Prix Final

[Sylvia]

By Ekaterina Bespalova ("Our conversation with Arutyunyan took place on the eve of the women's free program in the Grand Prix Final ... The specialist seemed to foresee the subsequent development of events."):

Рафаэль Арутюнян: «Чем Загитова хуже Ханю?»

Большое интервью знаменитого тренера — о Загитовой, Трусовой, Косторной, возрастном цензе и судействе.

www.sport-express.ru

Translated here: https://fs-gossips.com/rafael-arutyunyan-girls-shoudnt-compete-with-women-its-not-fair/

 

[mjb52]

I just hit the comment about Lakernik and other judges and started wheezing helplessly with laughter.

 

[Wyliefan]

I'm glad someone finally countered the "Alina missed her moment to learn a quad and now she never can do it!" narrative. The fact that she seems to believe that says a lot about the negative messages that have been fed to her.

 

[MacMadame]

I just hit the comment about Lakernik and other judges and started wheezing helplessly with laughter.

I had the same reaction to this:

They must be cute in public, this is the unwritten rule of our sport, we are not boxing and not MMA

 

[feraina]

He’s such a hoot! I always enjoy his interviews so much.

 

[whiteskates]

I would gladly read an interview with Arutunian every day!

 

[starrynight]

English translation here: https://fs-gossips.com/rafael-arutyunyan-girls-shoudnt-compete-with-women-its-not-fair/

 

[Stephanie]

Who is the junior man on the US team he mentions? It sound like someone new (and not, for example, Sjoberg)

 

[Tahuu]

Raf would die if Alina asks him: ”May I come and train with you.”

 

[Sylvia]

Who is the junior man on the US team he mentions?

"Parents were the initiators – they are the boy’s coaches." Ilia Malinin, maybe? He is still based primarily in Virginia, AFAIK.

 

[BittyBug]

Or Maxim Naumov? Just speculating, but he's the only other skater that I can think of who is trained by his parents (and maybe he's moved up to senior this year in the US?).

 

[feraina]

Raf would die if Alina asks him: ”May I come and train with you.”

No way. $500 a day not including living expenses, how can she possibly afford it?

 

[Stephanie]

Or Maxim Naumov? Just speculating, but he's the only other skater that I can think of who is trained by his parents (and maybe he's moved up to senior this year in the US?).

Liam Kapeikis is also at least partially coached by his parents

ETA: Per USFS bio, at least

 

[Sylvia]

Or Maxim Naumov? Just speculating, but he's the only other skater that I can think of who is trained by his parents (and maybe he's moved up to senior this year in the US?).

Naumov is competing Junior at Nationals (he won Easterns over Malinin last month).

Here's a clip of Malinin's 4T attempt in practice (posted by him earlier this month) with Rafael A. in the background: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6OPzZNpaN4/

Liam Kapeikis is also at least partially coached by his parents

Kapeikis is coached by his parents in Wenatchee, WA, and also by Keegan Murphy at the Connaught Skating Club in BC/Canada (he placed 2nd to Eric Sjoberg at Pacific Coast Sectionals last month): https://www.facebook.com/ConnaughtSC/photos/a.427067600675993/2593248500724548/?type=3&theater

 

[BittyBug]

Here's a clip of Malinin's 4T attempt in practice (posted by him earlier this month) with Rafael A. in the background: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6OPzZNpaN4/

That makes it seem likely that Malinin is the junior skater in question. Both Malinin and Naumov are tremendous talents, and either would be lucky to have Arutyunyan's tutelage.

 

[Tahuu]

No way. $500 a day not including living expenses, how can she possibly afford it?

Alina probably earns $500K to under 1M a year before management cuts. Raf, like other coaches, may have flexible rates for top skaters. She most likely continues to receive funding from RusFed. So it shouldn’t be prohibitive financially to come and train with Raf. To the contrary, coming to train with Raf could increase her exposure and pique the interest of worldwide audience, which is important for the sponsors. Hey, if she wants to continue competing at Worlds and Olympics but can only make #4-5 on Team Russia, USFS would love to have her on its world team. It’s a win-win to all parties. Russia would show the world its contribution to and influence in ladies’ skating.

 

[BittyBug]

Hey, if she wants to continue competing at Worlds and Olympics but can only make #4-5 on Team Russia, USFS would love to have her on its world team. It’s a win-win to all parties. Russia would show the world its contribution to and influence in ladies’ skating.

Why is the option suggested too often a country change? Zagitova is 100% Russian and appears to love her country. Russia would NEVER release an Olympic champion - never! And even if they did, it would take years for Zagitova to obtain citizenship, and as a single skater, she would need citizenship to represent the U.S. internationally.

I realize country hopping happens in pairs and dance, but it is much harder to do in singles. And first and foremost, most people don't want to change their nationality like it's underwear. Please people, stop with these silly suggestions (Medvedeva, Zagitova, other Russian ladies).

 

[Tahuu]

Why is the option suggested too often a country change? Zagitova is 100% Russian and appears to love her country. Russia would NEVER release an Olympic champion - never! And even if they did, it would take years for Zagitova to obtain citizenship, and as a single skater, she would need citizenship to represent the U.S. internationally.

I realize country hopping happens in pairs and dance, but it is much harder to do in singles. And first and foremost, most people don't want to change their nationality like it's underwear. Please people, stop with these silly suggestions (Medvedeva, Zagitova, other Russian ladies).

Never say never. First, Competing at Worlds and Olympics is in Alina’s best interest. Second, Alina is in good terms with her coaching team and RusFed. At this rate of Russian ladies development, if Alina would drop to #5-10 on Team Russia in coming years, it’s not totally impossible for RusFed to release her. After all skating is not like fighting in a war. Another potential win for Russia to release their non-top skaters is the encouragement and hope for their upcoming skaters to see it's not the end of their skating world if they can't make top 3. Of course, all is moot if Alina doesn’t want to represent any country other than Russia.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I really enjoy Raf. Can you imagine if Raf and Moskvina had a child? What a combo that would be!

 

[MacMadame]

it would take years for Zagitova to obtain citizenship, and as a single skater, she would need citizenship to represent the U.S. internationally.

I don't think that's true. Citizenship is only required for the Olympics. For ISU events, residency would be enough.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Residency can be long to get in itself without an exception, but may be more possible to expedite, depending on the country. Also the residency classes, which can have different administrative tracks and timelines. Of course, there are always exceptions, like Azerbaijan.

 

[MacMadame]

When I say "residency" I don't mean a Green Card. I mean you live here. Lots of foreign skaters who train in the US will join a local club and enter local comps representing that club. I believe USFS only requires USFS membership to represent them internationally. It's the IOC that requires citizenship, not the ISU.

 

[starrynight]

The idea of Zagitova changing countries to compete is insanity. It would tarnish all of her achievements and make her seem ungrateful. Just look at the drama that has been created, for example, in Canada by bobsledder Kaillie Humphries switching countries.

Country swapping in dance and pairs is a totally different thing because everyone understands that international co-operation is often required to form teams. And the switches are more about wanting to skate with a particular individual than turning your back on your country. The team of Hurtardo/Khaliavin is something that I think people view as a joint co-operation between Russia and Spain even though they compete under the Spanish flag.

The only way Zagitova would be able to change countries without it being a mess is if she switched to pairs. And I don't think that's likely, even if I would find it incredibly fascinating (in the way we found Valentina Marchei's switch at an older age).

 

[Tinami Amori]

1) The talk of Alina Zagitova changing countries, and some suggesting "coming to USA", is a complete nonsense.. Not because she can't, but because she will have NOTHING to gain. It's another conscious or subconscious attempt by some people to under-mind yet again "something Russian" by suggesting a skater would be better off outside of Russia, Eteri's group etc.

2) No matter where any skater skates, they still have to compete with Tutberidze's girls... There are 3 top girls now, 2 more moving to Seniors next year, and there are plenty more in that group for next 2-3-4 years to join the senior ranks.

3) The heading of the article in English, is not just a bad translation, but INTENTIONALLY wrong, to add a sauce of "negativity" towards what's obvious - to take a dig at Eteri's 15-16 year old girls (and Alysa Liu/Lipetsky)

The CORRECT HEADING in the original is (NOT ABOUT AGE INCREASE AND UNFAIR):
Рафаэль Арутюнян: «Чем Загитова хуже Ханю?» - "Zagitova is not less capable than Hanyu" (alt. transl"how is Zagitova less able than Hanyu?")

4) I am sorry that Aratunyan is jealous of Tutberidze's "young girls". He should hide his green-eyed monster better. Even if he praised Tutberidze, and how could you not, he is going in circles to find "something wrong" and "something can be better", finding phrases and formulations about "skating in general" which are digs at Eteri's girls and Alysa Liu/Lipetsky (to some degree).

He did not speak of "age increase" and keeping 15-16 year olds in juniors when he trained Mao Asada (16), on the contrary so many people were so sorry that 14.5 year old Mao could not skate in seniors..
He did not hold 15 year old Eun-soo Lin in Juniors.. and was perfectly happy to train her in Seniors.
He would not be so concerned with "age" if he had 15-16 year old winners... and if they were Americans. But he does not have such girls. He got Wagner and Bell when they were 19 or 20.. and he can't make them win major events either.

In another interview he said he wished he could get a very young girl to train, so he can shape her from the start into a winner. And prior to that in another interview he complained "how in America he is so restricted as a coach in what he can do and say" and that "he can't even mention weight even if it needs mentioning". But he does not have that "young girl" that he can turn into a winner, and he is "training in America"..... and he is peeing hot tea from frustration...

If he had Eteri's girls, and could train them like they do at Sambo, he would not be saying ANY of this... And the rest of "America" would be singing praises to him and the girls, and none of this "age increase" and other "hints and suggestions" would ever be mentioned.

Double standard! and jealousy.

 

[kwanfan1818]

It's the IOC that requires citizenship, not the ISU.

The ISU requires the skater or at least one half of a pair or dance team to be a resident in that country for a year or to be a citizen:

From Rule 109:

Citizenship/Residence/Transfer Permit a) A Skater may compete only as a member of the ISU Member of a country of which he is a citizen or in which he has resided for at least one year. b) In Pair Skating and Ice Dance only one partner needs to fulfil the requirements stated in paragraph 2.a). The other partner, however, must be a citizen or resident of the country of an ISU Member.

I know there was some major re-writing in the Constitution/General Regulations of Rule 109 after many small nations voted down Germany's proposal to specify a maximum amount of time a Federation could hold a skater without a release, and since there are no change markings on the 2018 version, I assume the verbiage was changed in 2016.

You're right that no permanent residency is required, but some kind of visa that allows long-term residency is, and a year is required. The Council also reserves the right to waive the requirements, but I can't remember seeing any recent decisions of the council in this area.

 

[BittyBug]

@MacMadame you are correct and I was wrong about the citizenship requirement. But even without a citizenship requirement, Zagitova is never going to represent any country other than Russia. Russia is nothing if not extremely nationalistic. There is ZERO chance they would release an Olympic champion to skate for another country. From a national POV, she is the supreme example of the superiority of their state system and the motherland. Zagitova IS Russia; they are not going to give her away.

 

[MacMadame]

Zagitova is never going to represent any country other than Russia.

I completely agree with that part!

 

[babayaga]

I did get a feeling that Rafael was advertising himself to Alina a little bit And I hope she reads this interview, I would love him to coach her if Tutberidze is more interested in the next generation. But he never implied that Alina should switch countries.

 

[AxelAnnie]

@MacMadame you are correct and I was wrong about the citizenship requirement. But even without a citizenship requirement, Zagitova is never going to represent any country other than Russia. Russia is nothing if not extremely nationalistic. There is ZERO chance they would release an Olympic champion to skate for another country. From a national POV, she is the supreme example of the superiority of their state system and the motherland. Zagitova IS Russia; they are not going to give her away.

Theoretically, can't a skater change coaches and not countries? Med represents Russia and trains in Canada.
Did someone really suggest that she change countries?

 

[MacMadame]

Yes, people suggested she skate for the US because her chances of getting to Worlds would be higher.