Tracking Russian figure skating's support for the war

[tmari]

A new page on Wikipedia is documenting responses to the invasion, particularly support and/or involvement by Russian skaters, coaches, etc.

Figure skating responses to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Please review and add to the page. In order to counter attempts to overturn the ban, it's important to track Russian skaters' own statements and activities. So if you find evidence for someone's support of the war, please add it to Wikipedia with a reliable source, such as a news article or their own social media account.

Remember to save the evidence, preferably using Wayback Machine (the most well-established archiving website):
http://web.archive.org/save/
if that doesn't work, you can also use:

archive.today - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

And what are we going to do, lynch them verbally? Hate them forever? Wish death upon them? Is there a list of US skaters, coaches and officials that supported (or did not protest against) various invasions over the past few decades?

McCarthyism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Blacklists

In the 1940s and '50s, people were put blacklists because of their political opinions or associations, causing them to be fired or making it hard to find work.

www.mtsu.edu

 

[tmari]

I'm not interested in whataboutism.

Whataboutism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I already explained the purpose of the thread. If a skater or coach chooses to go public with their support for this war, it's their choice. It's not our job to cover up for them, only document their choice to go public with their support for genocide.

By the way, this is not Russia's first genocide in Ukraine:

Holodomor - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Karen-W]

And what are we going to do, lynch them verbally? Hate them forever? Wish death upon them? Is there a list of US skaters, coaches and officials that supported (or did not protest against) various invasions over the past few decades?

McCarthyism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Blacklists

In the 1940s and '50s, people were put blacklists because of their political opinions or associations, causing them to be fired or making it hard to find work.

www.mtsu.edu

When was the US banned from international sports competitions for those actions? This is not an equivalent situation and you shouldn't try and make it so.

 

[canbelto]

I have no idea what you're trying to attempt with this wiki page.

 

[caseyedwards]

Why this war why Russians. You can’t erase the past and the whole skating world lovingly embracing america while it invaded Iraq in 2003

 

[caseyedwards]

When was the US banned from international sports competitions for those actions? This is not an equivalent situation and you shouldn't try and make it so.

That’s the whole point. They weren’t. NO ONE CARED to connect the war to sports

 

[clairecloutier]

I have no idea what you're trying to attempt with this wiki page.

It was explained in the initial post. The page is meant to document active and public support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine by elite-level Russian figure skaters and those involved in elite-level figure skating in Russia.

If the ISU were to accept the IOC proposal to allow "neutral" Russian athletes to compete, while disallowing Russian athletes who "support" the war (categories for which the IOC has thus far provided no definition), then it will obviously be necessary to determine which skaters have and haven't publicly supported the war.

 

[tmari]

That’s the whole point. They weren’t. NO ONE CARED

So, which skaters went public with their support for it? Neither you nor Perky Shae Lynn have so far managed to name even one skater who publically cheered on that war. If you find such evidence, start your own thread. Don't hijack this one.

 

[tony]

I have no idea what you're trying to attempt with this wiki page.

Coming from the same person who (supposedly jokingly) claimed they were going on to Twitter to start a 'trash [Morgan Cipres]' thread with a list of people who still follow him, I fail to see how you wouldn't understand the idea.

 

[caseyedwards]

So, which skaters went public with their support for it? Neither you nor Perky Shae Lynn have so far managed to name even one skater who publically cheered on that war. If you find such evidence, start your own thread. Don't hijack this one.

The point is that america wasn’t punished at all. No one in the isu cared. It wasn’t even a topic

Also Russia is a dictatorship where people die when the oppose Putin. No Russian saying anything in support means anything. Who can say if it’s real

 

[tony]

The point is that america wasn’t punished at all. No one in the isu cared. It wasn’t even a topic

The only thing I can recall from all of this is that there were serious talks by some of the smaller federations (and maybe even the big ones, but I wasn't privy to such) to boycott 2003 Worlds because of the rising war tensions at the time, and because it was in DC. Obviously, nothing ever came of it and all nations competed, but there definitely were considerations.

 

[thvu]

And what are we going to do, lynch them verbally? Hate them forever? Wish death upon them? Is there a list of US skaters, coaches and officials that supported (or did not protest against) various invasions over the past few decades?

What credibility does your opinion have when, with all the possibilities out there, you've chosen B&K's Riverdance as your avatar?

 

[tmari]

The point is that america wasn’t punished at all. No one in the isu cared. It wasn’t even a topic

Also Russia is a dictatorship where people die when the oppose Putin. No Russian saying anything in support means anything. Who can say if it’s real

Perhaps it wasn't a topic because they're entirely different types of wars? Russia is waging a genocidal war, destroying entire cities, raping and torturing thousands of civilians. It believes Ukraine and Ukrainians have no right to exist. That is akin to Nazi Germany, not the U.S.

And Nazi Germany was banned from international competition for years after the war. Why shouldn't Russia be banned while it's actively committing genocide?

How is there a level playing field if one ISU member is destroying another member's ability to compete? Rinks are destroyed or damaged, millions have been forced to move abroad. Few children now have the opportunity to start learning to skate in Ukraine. This will hamper the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation for many years to come.

Why should the ISU ignore a member directly sabotaging another member?

And as has been documented, this war is being publicly supported by the Russian figure skating community.

 

[hanca]

This forum makes me sick! It became so toxic…

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

It was explained in the initial post. The page is meant to document active and public support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine by elite-level Russian figure skaters and those involved in elite-level figure skating in Russia.

If the ISU were to accept the IOC proposal to allow "neutral" Russian athletes to compete, while disallowing Russian athletes who "support" the war (categories for which the IOC has thus far provided no definition), then it will obviously be necessary to determine which skaters have and haven't publicly supported the war.

So your definition of "neutral" is not saying anything publicly? What if these neutral athletes are huge war supporters, but not vocal about it?

 

[caseyedwards]

Perhaps it wasn't a topic because they're entirely different types of wars? Russia is waging a genocidal war, destroying entire cities, raping and torturing thousands of civilians. It believes Ukraine and Ukrainians have no right to exist. That is akin to Nazi Germany, not the U.S.

And Nazi Germany was banned from international competition for years after the war. Why shouldn't Russia be banned while it's actively committing genocide?

How is there a level playing field if one ISU member is destroying another member's ability to compete? Rinks are destroyed or damaged, millions have been forced to move abroad. Few children now have the opportunity to start learning to skate in Ukraine. This will hamper the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation for many years to come.

Why should the ISU ignore a member directly sabotaging another member?

And as has been documented, this war is being publicly supported by the Russian figure skating community.

Do you deny people who oppose Putin are murdered even if they are famous or well Known? You want Russian skaters to choose death for them or their families to oppose the war?

I feel like you are defending the Iraq war. It was awful and it was genocidal: millions would die

United States faced NO consequences

It’s like you are saying the war in Ukraine is worse because skating rinks have closed there and Iraq had none

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

What credibility does your opinion have when, with all the possibilities out there, you've chosen B&K's Riverdance as your avatar?

Proudly so since 2002.

 

[tmari]

This forum makes me sick! It became so toxic…

Have you stopped for a moment to consider the trauma that Ukrainian skaters have gone through, having their lives destroyed because their neighbour decided they shouldn't exist? And then to see Russian skaters cheer on the horrors they've endured?
That doesn't make you sick?

 

[tmari]

caseyedwards, you continually fail to list even one U.S. skater who publicly supported it. Your arguments are nothing more than whatboutism with no substance.

No one forced Russian skaters to make public statements in support of the war.. They could have stayed silent but they chose not to.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Perhaps it wasn't a topic because they're entirely different types of wars? Russia is waging a genocidal war, destroying entire cities, raping and torturing thousands of civilians. It believes Ukraine and Ukrainians have no right to exist. That is akin to Nazi Germany, not the U.S.

Geopolitics aren't that simple, despite what we hear from the US / Canadian media. Putin and his posse are akin to any evil invader of a neighboring country. But lets not pretend that invasion of the several non-neighboring countries is that much different.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Have you stopped for a moment to consider the trauma that Ukrainian skaters have gone through, having their lives destroyed because their neighbour decided they shouldn't exist? And then to see Russian skaters cheer on the horrors they've endured?
That doesn't make you sick?

Have you stopped for a moment to consider the trauma that Afghani, Iraqi, and Syrian women and children have gone through, having their lives destroyed because their non-neighbor decided they shouldn't exist in the way they know? And to see American skaters not protest against the horrors they've endured? And what about the trauma that US soldiers have experienced, and continue to experience every day because the US government made a decision to repeatedly invade other nations? As a military spouse, I can assure you that a war is a war. Whatever pretty wrapper it is shoved into.

 

[tmari]

Geopolitics aren't that simple, despite what we hear from the US / Canadian media. Putin and his posse are akin to any evil invader of a neighboring country. But lets not pretend that invasion of the several non-neighboring countries is that much different.

Declaring that a nation shouldn't exist, and then invading it to eliminate it, isn't "geopolitics". It's genocide, plain and simple.

Have you stopped for a moment to consider the trauma that [whataboutism]

You clearly don't care since you're using them simply as tools to distract/deflect from Russia's actions.

You have no argument in defense of Russian skaters' actions, so you keep resorting to hijacking the thread with whataboutism.

 

[Karen-W]

In case everyone has forgotten... The single biggest reason for the international sports ban was because Russia violated the "Olympic/Paralympic Truce" period and invaded Ukraine during that time window. If Putin had waited a month, I highly doubt the IOC would have done a thing, but it was because of the timing of the invasion, which is supposed to be a time when governments don't go invading other countries and starting wars, the international outcry and move to ban Russia from international sports was swift, loud and sustained.

 

[Alilou]

Have you stopped for a moment to consider the trauma that Afghani, Iraqi, and Syrian women and children have gone through, having their lives destroyed because their non-neighbor decided they shouldn't exist in the way they know? And to see American skaters not protest against the horrors they've endured? And what about the trauma that US soldiers have experienced, and continue to experience every day because the US government made a decision to repeatedly invade other nations? As a military spouse, I can assure you that a war is a war. Whatever pretty wrapper it is shoved into.

You may have a point IDK, but it's not the point of this thread. Your whataboutism doesn't change anything about the current situation facing the ISU and the IOC. FGS EFF off with the whataboutism. It changes nothing!

 

[caseyedwards]

caseyedwards, you continually fail to list even one U.S. skater who publicly supported it. Your arguments are nothing more than whatboutism with no substance.

No one forced Russian skaters to make public statements in support of the war.. They could have stayed silent but they chose not to.

Russia is not being punished for its skaters but for its policies. It doesn’t matter

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Declaring that a nation shouldn't exist, and then invading it to eliminate it, isn't "geopolitics". It's genocide, plain and simple.


You clearly don't care since you're using them simply as tools to distract/deflect from Russia's actions.

It's uncomfortable to stop and think. The idea of "tracking Russian skaters support for war" is disturbing. The KGB is big on this stuff, tracking the enemies. But go ahead, do you. I would suggest putting energies into supporting Ukrainian skaters. Vadym Kolesnik has a go fund me, would be a much better way to help someone.

 

[airgelaal]

Have you stopped for a moment to consider the trauma that Afghani, Iraqi, and Syrian women and children have gone through, having their lives destroyed because their non-neighbor decided they shouldn't exist in the way they know? And to see American skaters not protest against the horrors they've endured? And what about the trauma that US soldiers have experienced, and continue to experience every day because the US government made a decision to repeatedly invade other nations? As a military spouse, I can assure you that a war is a war. Whatever pretty wrapper it is shoved into.

So if the Americans were not punished, then no one should be punished. It is strange that no one remembers that russia was never punished either.
It's amazing how many people want to keep this cycle of violence going.

 

[tmari]

It's uncomfortable to stop and think. The idea of "tracking Russian skaters support for war" is disturbing. The KGB is big on this stuff, tracking the enemies. But go ahead, do you. I would suggest putting energies into supporting Ukrainian skaters. Vadym Kolesnik has a go fund me, would be a much better way to help someone.

They chose to publicly support the war. Why is this such a difficult concept for you to grasp?

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

You may have a point IDK, but it's not the point of this thread. Your whataboutism doesn't change anything about the current situation facing the ISU and the IOC. FGS EFF off with the whataboutism. It changes nothing!

I don't disagree in principle. Russian skaters are banned for a reason. I do disagree with the double-standard - other nations not being called out for similar invasions. But mostly, I disagree with militant tactics (aka enemy tracking) directed towards specific individuals. It's not ok and it's dangerous.