UPDATED/CONFIRMED: Evgenia Medvedeva leaving Tutberidze for Orser

[IceAlisa]

I cannot comment whether Med said it but the allegation was translated correctly

 

[MsZem]

To me all that carrying on is a sign of weakness and being calm is a sign of strength. Just like not screaming or moaning during a painful procedure is a sign of strength.

It is? To me it's mostly a sign of what someone's pain threshold is, not a measure of their character.

But we are in agreement that trashing a former student publicly reflects poorly on one's character.

 

[IceAlisa]

It is? To me it's mostly a sign of what someone's pain threshold is, not a measure of their character.

But we are in agreement that trashing a former student publicly reflects poorly on one's character.

Athletes perform through pain all the time, something that I certainly couldn’t do, something that would reduce me to tears but they grin and bear it. That makes them stronger than me.

There’s a new Orser interview in Russian if anyone wants to translate. If it’s not yet translated by tomorrow, I will give it a go. Thankfully, there are lots of Russian speakers here.
https://mrsport.ria.ru/interview/20180510/1136673188.html

 

[MsZem]

Athletes perform through pain all the time, something that I certainly couldn’t do, something that would reduce me to tears but they grin and bear it. That makes them stronger than me.

I don't think it's a sign of strength. Commitment, possibly - sometimes misplaced, because performing through pain can be a really stupid thing to do. Sometimes it takes more strength to say that you can't do something.

 

[IceAlisa]

I don't think it's a sign of strength. Commitment, possibly - sometimes misplaced, because performing through pain can be a really stupid thing to do. Sometimes it takes more strength to say that you can't do something.

Yagudin said famously that if I wake up in the morning and nothing hurts, it means I am dead. IOW, the human body isn’t meant to to what he did and there are plenty of days when they have to struggle.
Ever seen ballet dancer’s feet? It looks and is painful. Yet some keep going

 

[MsZem]

Yagudin said famously that if I wake up in the morning and nothing hurts, it means I am dead. IOW, the human body isn’t meant to to what he did and there are plenty of days when they have to struggle.
Ever seen ballet dancer’s feet? It looks and is painful. Yet some keep going

Yagudin's career ended at the age of 22, and not by choice. He needed serious hip surgery (I think a replacement?) while still in his twenties.

I don't think Rachael Flatt should have kept going when it came to 2011 Worlds, and her federation agreed. Or people skating with concussions. Sometimes continuing despite the pain risks incurring a more serious injury. The idea that playing through pain is by definition a good thing is, IMO, a dangerous one.

 

[TAHbKA]

Chaikovskaya: "In the Russian school of skating, the athlete's input into programs is always considered, all programs are discussed together with the athlete. Nothing is mandatory . The Russian school of figure skating produces the best programs"

Yes, am sure Gorshkova and Butikov really WANTED to skate to that shit they did.

On a more serious note think it depends - Bobrova said in the interview she had no say on the programmes/costumes/make up in Kustarova's group and if she was told to put a feather in her hair and skate to a tango she did. She had more freedom in Zhulin's group. Am wondering whether there is no freedom for the juniors and then when they end up switching coaches there is some on the seniors level. Though looking at Popova/her previous partner's last programme am thinking I'd rather give juniros a bit less freedom of choice....

 

[GreatLakesGal]

There’s a new Orser interview in Russian if anyone wants to translate. If it’s not yet translated by tomorrow, I will give it a go. Thankfully, there are lots of Russian speakers here.
https://mrsport.ria.ru/interview/20180510/1136673188.html

I had some time to kill this morning so I threw parts of this interview through Google Translator. Orser sounds like he is just over the moon at the thought of coaching Med to greatness. One quote:

She is perfectly well-versed in many things, especially in jumping. She has a magnificent head, in a sense it can be called a psychological "thick-skinned". Plus, Zhenya knows how and loves to compete. Such a rival is not a gift for the rest. In this respect, Medvedev very much reminds me of Yunu Kim.

I wonder how his current students at TCC (and their parents) are feeling about this.

 

[muffinplus]

Athletes perform through pain all the time, something that I certainly couldn’t do, something that would reduce me to tears but they grin and bear it. That makes them stronger than me.

There’s a new Orser interview in Russian if anyone wants to translate. If it’s not yet translated by tomorrow, I will give it a go. Thankfully, there are lots of Russian speakers here.
https://mrsport.ria.ru/interview/20180510/1136673188.html

Could try and take a stab at it this morning...

 

[Lchan]

To be fair, Med's comment is understandable. That is, if she did in fact make it and it has been translated correctly.

I've got no idea whether Med said it or not but agree with you that it's entirely understandable if she did. More than that, assuming she did say it, she's a clear thinker and has pointed at the very crux of the problem with the Eteri/Med/Zag triangle. Eteri has a classic conflict of interest. She can't keep Zag in juniors because that would be unfair to Zag and not in Zag's best interests. But Zag moving up to seniors is not in Med's best interests. And, as it turns out, is the immediate and direct cause of Med losing the Olympic gold medal. (Who else has beaten her in two seasons?)

And because Med and Zag were each other's main rivals on the global stage last season, Eteri can't help Zag maximize her scores without directly impacting on Med's chances of winning - and vice versa: if she helps Med, she hurts Zag.

I know plenty of coaches do successfully manage a stable of elite skaters but it's quite unusual for any one coach to have two skaters whose only real competition is each other. (I think the Javi/Yuzu situation is a little different because there's always been other guys from outside the group who could potentially beat either of them on any given day. I wonder whether that might take some heat out of the direct rivalry. This wasn't really the case last season in women's skating, as pretty much everyone agreed that any gold medal was likely to be between Zag and Med.)

So, the reality is that if Eteri was fair to Zag, she was doing it at Med's expense. Every time she tried to help Med win, she was helping Med beat Zag. In the field I work in, professional ethics dictate that in such circumstances you tell at least one of your clients they need to replace you with someone else. I can't comment on the professional ethics of coaching but I can't blame any one of them for deciding that the situation needs to end.

I am going to add that I am in awe of Eteri's achievements with her team and like both Zag and Med as skaters. I wish them all long and successful careers.

 

[Carolla5501]

Well I am not sure that the ethics requiring the coach to only coach one "star" exist (see Ice Dance?) That said I would think a coach has to work VERY hard to make sure everyone gets their best. Did Eteri do that? Who knows?

 

[kittysk8ts]

I guess that now that Tutberidze has lost her Meds, she is going through withdrawal.

Giggle. Nothing like a good public withdrawal

 

[clairecloutier]

I just really doubt that Evgenia ever said that comment about keeping Zag in juniors. Rationally, it doesn't make sense. I mean, Evgenia has been around Russian ladies' skating her whole life, and it could hardly have escaped her notice that all of the most talented Russian junior ladies (Tukt, Sot, Lip, Rad, Pogo) went senior at 15 (or maybe earlier in some cases?). Certainly, no one stuck around in juniors after winning Junior Worlds. Med herself didn't. So why would she think Zagitova would have been handled any differently? It doesn't make sense.

The only way Medvedeva could have made that comment was if she and Eteri were so unusually close as skater/coach that Medvedeva thought the normal procedures wouldn't be followed in this case, for her benefit alone. And I just find it unlikely that she would think that way. It doesn't seem to fit with the rest of her character, as we know it so far.

 

[barbarafan]

I like Orser as a coach as a person thus I don't wish him that Evgenia to leave him like she did with Eteri . But I wonder what would happen here....

Orser is now a seasoned coach and although he cares deeply for all his students he has learned to keep a reserve. You cannot compare the the Yuna nonsense with today. He was still show skating when Yuna's team approached him to ask him to coach. He didn't even know whether he would be a good coach. They persisted and he finished his show obligations and started to coach her. He will have let Med know the things he knows he can do for her and also the things he hopes to do for her and she has to do her part of the process. She is a very hard worker and throws herself into self improvement full force so I don't see a problem. He is not a "because I said so" coach and will always keep open communications and sit down meetings between his students, his team and also the student's federation. He does not usually have very many Cdn competitive skaters as this is an international skating centre not a hobby horse. You need to put a lot into the process to get the top results you are capable of.

 

[Ka3sha]

Two interviews with Orser for Russian press
1. Vaitsekhovskaya for R-sport
2. TASS
Interesting, but pretty much like his interview for IN
Btw, he confirmed that Evgenia will work on her new programs with David Wilson

 

[barbarafan]

All this Eteri-bashing is so bizarre. Evgenia (and it seems like everyone on this board) knows what kind of person she is. I remember Voronov once called her a hot-tempered southern woman no point arguing with. We've all met those in life. They aren't going to keep quiet. Evgenia, having been with Eteri for so many years know exactly what's going to happen and chose to do the parting the hard way, probably because she doesn't want to get yelled at in person. I would do the same and take the tv dirty laundry. Both get what they look for - one to let off some anger, one to come out unscathed after splitting with long-term coach. People say stuff like Eteri should be better at PR as if keeping nice and quiet is the best practice of PR. It might be for Orser, not for Eteri Tutberidze. Eteri lost a top student and comes out ever more not-to-be-messed-with, which is her brand to begin with. In many less passive aggressive countries toughness is considered a wonderful quality, possibly the only important one to have.

So basically you are saying Evgenia has been intelligent and mature , Eteri not. And you applaud that. All coaches are different and have different ways of producing good skaters. Eteri thinks that dragging students across the ice works well and Brian thinks stroking classes work better. Each to his own. BTW Med contacted the Federation to ask for a meeting to be set up with Eteri. We will see if Eteri agrees to this when she returns from her vacation. If it happens it will not be a "Fish Wife" screaming match at the arena.

 

[danibellerika]

(I think the Javi/Yuzu situation is a little different because there's always been other guys from outside the group who could potentially beat either of them on any given day. I wonder whether that might take some heat out of the direct rivalry. This wasn't really the case last season in women's skating, as pretty much everyone agreed that any gold medal was likely to be between Zag and Med.)

Javi has acknowledged Yuzu as being the best, but he knows that Yuzu is not going to be "on" every time which is where he can capitalize. And while they do compete against each other their aims aren't totally the same. Javi, for instance, said he'd be satisfied with an Olympic medal of any color. He would have been over the moon with a silver, while Yuzu would have been devastated with the silver. If both wouldn't be satisfied with anything but gold I don't know what their dynamic would be like.

While I'm sure Zag definitely wanted to be Olympic Champ, I think she would have been more satisfied with a silver than Med is with hers considering it was Zag's first senior season.

 

[muffinplus]

Two Time World Champion Evgenia Medvedeva’s new coach, Brian Orser, who (like Evgenia) has won Olympic silver, told Elena Viatsekhovskaya why he didn’t hesitate to take the Russian skater in, compared Medvedeva with Yu Na Kim and admitted that he is very happy that Zhenya’s mom is coming to Canada
Setting up the interview was quick. The only thing the coach asked, in response to my SMS, is to contact him at an exact time early in the morning, so that we could have enough time for a chat. Which is what I did.

The first to call from Russia was Tatiana Tarasova

• I guess this is definitely not the first time you are getting a call from Russia?
• The second time. I just had a brief talk with Tatiana Tarasova, and I had a feeling that in her heart she supports Medvedeva’s decision, although she did not tell me so directly. I really hope she does. I would like to be able to to ask Tarasova for advice sometimes. She is an incredible, very intelligent coach
• I read your words about how shocked you were by Medeveva’s request to take her into your group. Did you need a lot of time to answer “yes”?
• When I first got a message from Zhenya at the beginning of April with a request to meet in Korea, where she was doing a show at the time, I told her that it may be possible, but I need some time (to answer). I needed time to first discuss with Tracy Wilson, since we work as one team, and then with the rest of the team members, including choreographer David Wilson. It was important to clearly understand how she would fit into the team and to assess the whole picture: who is still skating, who is leaving, how busy is each specialist, will I be able to give her as much time as she needs, and so on. As soon as we figured out it’s realistic, a decision was made.
• Could you tell me in more detail about how coaching at your club works? How many hours of ice time, for example, does an elite skater get and how long are practices?
• Our club in, in a way, unique, because every skater has their own individual coaching plan, created just for them. In general terms, it’s about 3 hours of pure ice time and other training. Of course, we will need some time to understand how to work with Medvedeva, what to focus on the most. It’s possible that we won’t be focusing on jumps, but on other things such as skating skills, since this always requires much more time compared to training jumps. To be able to talk in more specific terms, we would have to wait until Zhenia arrives in Canada, comes to the rink and I see her on the ice. The most important thing at this stage – is to get her body in shape. This means a large variety of off-ice training, in order to heal the injuries she has, as well as back issues. In order to move forward, an athlete has to be physically strong first.
• 
  
• Tarasova: Tutberidze should not have talked about Medvedeva as if she was a traitor.
• 
  
• Did you ever have to deal with effects of stress fractures (in athletes)?
• Of course, I cannot say that stress fractures are an ordinary thing. When Yu Ni Kim first joined my group, she had many different injuries. Mainly joint and spine problems. Less serious ankle and heel… For a long time, we focused exclusively on resolving those injury issues. Yu Na had treatments, she had an individual regimen of exercises tailored to her, thanks to which she healed so well that the pain she had experienced during skating was completely gone. The last two years of her career, she had no serious injuries, but if you remember the first 2 years, she was a walking injured wreck, that’s how bad her back and joint pain were. So now it’s not easy to scare or shock me. It’s just that at first we will have to be very very patient. Fortunately, we have a lot of specialists who can help skaters with any problems
• Medvedeva won the World Championships twice in a row. What, in your view, can allow her to move forward and to become an even stronger skater?
• Most importantly, her body. The body is the main work tool of every athlete. It has to be strong and well prepared. Do you know what the most important thing is? Zhenia is a very young athlete, she is only 18. But at that age, an athlete should have the right to their own views and should be considered an equal team member alongside with any of the coaches. I understand Mevedeva’s goal very well – to win the Olympics. On the way to the Olympics, we will have 3 World Championships. Will she win all of them? I don’t know. I don’t have a crystal ball. The only thing I know is that Medvedeva is now at crossroads, and my team will do everything possible to help her get past it.
• 
  
• She is very well taught, first of all in the jumps area. She has an excellent head, in a sense you can say she is “thick-skinned”. She also knows and loves to compete. Such a competitor is not a walk in the park for others. In this way, Medvedeva really reminds me of Yu Na Kim.
• 
  
• At the same time. I see lots of room to make certain aspects of Zhenya’s skating even stronger. Yes, this will require time and physical and intellectual effort, but what makes me happy is that Zhenya is ready to go on this journey. She has the desire, and as you can understand, that’s the most important thing.
• 
  
• Tatiana Tarasova, who you mentioned earlier, one day said that she never takes on an athlete without finding out he or she had left their previous coach. Did you raise this subject with Medvedeva?
• 
  
• No. Zhenya spoke about her old coaching team with great respect and made it clear right away that she was not going to make a negative assessment of their past work. I think that makes sense. If a skater becomes the best in the world twice in a row, then, overall, the training program was a success, no? I don’t think I will be incorrect to state that all the coaches in the world would like to understand who Eteri Tutberidze continues to bring up new athletes of such a level. How does she do it? What does she do in her training?
• I prefer adult skatng
• 
  
• At the same time, you were not too positive about the current World junior champion, Aleksandra Trusova, calling her (that is someone with 2 quads!) a “not-so-long-term project”
• It was not quite like this. The conversation was about possibly raising the age limit in ladies skating. I was saying that young girls and adult skaters, like Carolina Kostner and Yu Na Kim, are in two very different categories. I have nothing against 13-year-old girls jumping quads. If you remember, at Worlds in Milano you asked me if I wanted ISU to raise the age limit and I said “No”? I can only repeat the same thing again. In my group, there is a thirteen year old boy, jumping quads. Longevity for each athlete is a very individual thing. Some mature later, some younger. I personally prefer adult skating, but at the same time I’m not prepared to say that quads in 13 or 14 year olds (regardless if it’s boys or girls), is something bad. The other issue is that we, coaches, should be careful with athletes’ bodies, when they are growing and while joints are developing
• The question is about something else: do you think quads have a place in ladies skating? Should they be a goal?
• I don’t have an answer to this question. And, as I said, earlier I don’t have a crystal ball. Fortunately. So we will have to wait and see how women’s skating will develop and if the same trends we are observing in men’s skating will be repeated. The only thing I cannot say for sure is that female bodies are different from male. Therefore, complexity does not increase at the same pace. Are quads in ladies skating a goal - I cannot answer this either. As a coach, my first goal is to develop ladies skating. The best examples of ladies skating in my view are Kaetlyn Osmond, Gabby Daleman, Carolina Kostner and Yu Na Kim. These are names that will be remembered.
• Does Medvedeva’s move to your group mean that David Wilson will choreograph all her programs?
• We are incredibly lucky in Toronto that we have several amazing choreographers with different styles. There are probably specialists of this level in Europe, in Japan and in Russia – places that are not easy to get to from Canada, but we don’t need to – we have Wilson, Shae-Lynn Bourne, Lori Nichol , Jeffrey Buttle. Yuzuru (Hanyu) mainly works with Shae-Lynn and Jeff. Javi – only with David, as Yu Na did before him, and at this stage I would like to use the same choreographic methods that were successful with Kim’s skating.
• How does it usually work – you give specific recommendations to skaters or wait for the skate to tell you which choreographer he or she wants to work with?
• In each case, it depends on the situation. When we first started working with Hanyu, David did all his choreography. Some time was needed before Yuzuru came to an understanding that he wanted to try something new choreographically. That’s when Shae-Lynn appeared, and it worked – they had amazing creative chemistry. Javi has great chemistry with David Wilson – they always found some wonderful things. At the same time, I take an active role in the process - help with picking the music, costume design, work with the choreographer by setting the steps and transitions, explain entrances into jumps. You cannot create a program without understanding what entrance allows to best incorporate an axel or a lutz
• 
  
• Zhanna Medvedva – “number one” mother
• 
  
• Excuse me in advance if this question is off limits , but can you explain how the financial side works - does the skater pay you for everything (the full suite of services) or does each specialist get paid individually?
• At our club, we charge by the hour. This is more of a North American, than a Canadian approach. I have a set rate that I charge, Tracy has her own, as does David Wilson. So it is well understood how much a short or a long program costs. Lori and Jeffrey also have a rate. At the same time, ice time for our athletes is unlimited, a skater can skate for 8 hours a day if they want. This is important because a lot of kids go to school, and they need to have flexiblility when it comes to practice times – some prefer days, some evenings.
• Who creates the costumes for your skaters?
• Good question. I don’t know. I know that David has his own contacts, and, when he creates his programs, he can explain to the designer the program concept. Some skaters have their own designers, not necessarily Canadian ones. The most important thing is that everyone is comfortable, most importantly, the athlete him/herself.
• Did you already have time to think about what events you want to see Medvedeva at?
• I can’t say my views on this are really different from everyone. I want to see how our summer will go and then make a decision. I would like Zhenya to go to a Senior B event in the fall, maybe the Autumn Classic or Finlandia Open or something else. After that, two grand prix events, and the Russian Nationals of course. That’s to say, the same as in previous years. The only difference will be that it will be with me now at the boards.
• Do you plan to go to Russia with Zhenya?
• Of course. I understand that we don’t live in a perfect world, because they are other skaters whose events might be at the same time when myself , Tracy and David will be travelling, but ideally, I would like to be by Medvedeva’s side.
• I forgot to ask – is Zhenya’s mom coming to Canada?
• To be honest, I’m really hoping that this will happen. It’s very important. From what I saw Zhenya is very close with her mom, and nobody knows her better than Zhanna. As we say she is the Number One mother. For a coach it’s very important to have that help. I think we will be successful.

 

[binbinwinwin]

I think it's believable that Evgenia could say something like that lol, sounds like she was probably just having an emotional outburst and probably didn't mean it. We all have those moments, even as fully grown adults. Sometimes I facepalm at stuff I did last week. Evgenia is very young and she will grow up and change a lot, if it is true that she said it I don't really care and I won't hold it against her. I think it is in poor taste that Eteri would reveal it to the press but oh well.

 

[barbarafan]

Yes, am sure Gorshkova and Butikov really WANTED to skate to that shit they did.

On a more serious note think it depends - Bobrova said in the interview she had no say on the programmes/costumes/make up in Kustarova's group and if she was told to put a feather in her hair and skate to a tango she did. She had more freedom in Zhulin's group. Am wondering whether there is no freedom for the juniors and then when they end up switching coaches there is some on the seniors level. Though looking at Popova/her previous partner's last programme am thinking I'd rather give juniros a bit less freedom of choice....

In the Zagitova thread she was quoted as saying at some point that all her programs have been set and ready for next season but she hasn't seen them yet and doesn't know what they are. That does not seem like she had a lot to do with the creative process. Maybe it just differs from skating school to skating school.

 

[Japanfan]

Athletes perform through pain all the time, something that I certainly couldn’t do, something that would reduce me to tears but they grin and bear it. That makes them stronger than me.

I am sure you have your own challenges and struggles in life that you grin, bear and overcome. For that reason I don't think that athletes are necessarily stronger than you or the rest of us. We just don't live out our struggles in the eyes of the public,and our struggles may not be as as dramatic as athletes' struggles.

This does not mean that our struggles are any less challenging.

BTW are you a family physician IceAlisa? For some reason I reason I think you are. And that would be a profession replete with struggles.

 

[Mad for Skating]

I think it's believable that Evgenia could say something like that lol, sounds like she was probably just having an emotional outburst and probably didn't mean it. We all have those moments, even as fully grown adults. Sometimes I facepalm at stuff I did last week. Evgenia is very young and she will grow up and change a lot, if it is true that she said it I don't really care and I won't hold it against her. I think it is in poor taste that Eteri would reveal it to the press but oh well.

Yes even if she said that, I highly doubt she rationally meant it. I say plenty of stupid, irrational things when I'm upset (i.e. "Why couldn't Bradie Tennell wait one more year to get good?" "Why did Vincent Zhou have to peak at Nationals and Jason didn't?" "Why weren't Zabiiako/Enbert banned from the Olympics instead of Stolbova/Klimov?"). You can't help thinking about the "what-ifs", even if they're not logical. No doubt a young woman who's dominated the sport for years and barely misses the main crown will beat the what-ifs to death in her head.

If your child dies in an accident but their friend survives, it's human nature to wonder, "Why did it have to my my child and not their friend?" Even the best people have those thoughts, which usually clear up once they get some perspective on the situation.

In general, Evgenia has always seemed like a good-hearted, sportsmanlike, professional athlete and would not have said it in ill-will towards Alina. And it's really none of Eteri's business to share private conversations with the public, nor should she present Evgenia as the villain because she may or may not have said something in private.

 

[SmallFairy]

Thank you so much @muffinplus
Oh, how I love Orser! Can't wait can't wait can't wait to see Med compete the fall!!!

 

[danibellerika]

I think it's believable that Evgenia could say something like that lol, sounds like she was probably just having an emotional outburst and probably didn't mean it. We all have those moments, even as fully grown adults. Sometimes I facepalm at stuff I did last week. Evgenia is very young and she will grow up and change a lot, if it is true that she said it I don't really care and I won't hold it against her. I think it is in poor taste that Eteri would reveal it to the press but oh well.

Yeah, it's completely natural. If we fans can voice our "what-ifs" and "I wishes" for x, y, z, for someone we want to win at the expense of someone else (because there can only be one winner) then it's unrealistic to think that patient 0 (the skater him/herself) doesn't at least have these ideas as well.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Yeah, it's completely natural. If we fans can voice our "what-ifs" and "I wishes" for x, y, z, for someone we want to win at the expense of someone else (because there can only be one winner) then it's unrealistic to think that patient 0 (the skater him/herself) doesn't at least have these ideas as well.

I guess this is the worst, most controversial thing Eteri could come up with. Her thought process was simple: "Lets find the most potentially damaging thing to Medvedeva's reputation - and run with it. Who cares whether it sticks, but the damage will be done." Anyone who believes this was an unplanned emotional outburst by the "hot-blooded Eteri" is being naive. It was a well-calculated move, intended to injure the enemy. Nothing would make Eteri happier than seeing Medvedeva fail.

 

[babayaga]

However, I personally do not see the connection Hersh is attempting to make between Orser/ Yuna Kim split and Eteri/ Medvedeva split. IMHO, while the Orser/Kim situation spiraled out of control, and Orser may look back and wish he could have managed some things differently, the circumstances, personalities and behavioral reactions are not that similar. To my recall, Orser was hurt and he responded in a confused and defensive way, but I don't recall him purposefully revealing private confidences shared with his former student. Kim's mother was a huge factor in the Kim/ Orser split, while in the current situation, apparently Eteri is the controlling mother figure as well as the demanding coach. I also think Kim and Med have completely different personalities. The reasons and circumstances surrounding the splits are also different.

From what I read on Russian forums it seems that Evgenia's mother is very comparable to Yuna'a. She is very involved in Medvedeva's training process, spent a lot of time on the rink watching practices, and is helping Evgenia to work on her social media image. I think there was an interview where Eteri was bashing Lipnitskaja and blaming Yulia's mom for worsened results after Sochi and, at the same time, praising Medvedeva's mother as a perfect skating mom (very involved in her daughter's skating, but completely trusting the coach or something like that).

 

[hanca]

Yes, am sure Gorshkova and Butikov really WANTED to skate to that shit they did.

On a more serious note think it depends - Bobrova said in the interview she had no say on the programmes/costumes/make up in Kustarova's group and if she was told to put a feather in her hair and skate to a tango she did. She had more freedom in Zhulin's group. Am wondering whether there is no freedom for the juniors and then when they end up switching coaches there is some on the seniors level. Though looking at Popova/her previous partner's last programme am thinking I'd rather give juniros a bit less freedom of choice....

She might have ‘more’ freedom in Zhulin’s group, but I don’t think she had that much freedom in comparison to US or Canadian skaters. If I understand correctly, it is Zhulin who chooses the music and he is not very sympathetic if the skaters don’t like his choice. Saying that, Elena Ilynikh once said in an interview that she always had a lot of input into her constums and did her own hair and make up, which makes me wonder whether it was Bobrova’s choice do as she was told in regard to her constume/make-up because she didn’t feel confident to suggest anything.

 

[Bellanca]

Orser is now a seasoned coach and although he cares deeply for all his students he has learned to keep a reserve. You cannot compare the the Yuna nonsense with today

I don’t believe or think that too many (if any) coach/skater splits can be compared to one another. However, I do feel the coach, under these circumstances, will nine out of ten times find themselves on the outs and not necessarily receiving a lot of support which falls typically in favor of the athlete.

When Yuna did leave Brian, I remember the fallout he had to deal with. I also remember reading and hearing people discuss Brian in miserable terms. Suddenly, Brian Orser became public enemy number one which was surreal, ridiculous and unfortunate, to say the least, because we all know what a great guy Brian is. However, that didn’t stop Yuna’s die-hard fans from raking him over the coals…

Frank C. definitely knows a thing or two about it, and while it’s not easy to be an athlete, it’s definitely not easy to be a coach, but then again, they’ve all signed on.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I don’t believe or think that too many (if any) coach/skater splits can be compared to one another. However, I do feel the coach, under these circumstances, will nine out of ten times find themselves on the outs and not necessarily receiving a lot of support which falls typically in favor of the athlete.

When Yuna did leave Brian, I remember the fallout he had to deal with. I also remember reading and hearing people discuss Brian in miserable terms. Suddenly, Brian Orser became public enemy number one which was surreal, ridiculous and unfortunate, to say the least, because we all know what a great guy Brian is. However, that didn’t stop Yuna’s die-hard fans from raking him over the coals…

Frank C. definitely knows a thing or two about it, and while it’s not easy to be an athlete, it’s definitely not easy to be a coach, but then again, they’ve all signed on.

Totally disagree. I have ALWAYS felt for the coach! Except this time with this split. I think Etri is neither a nice nor well-intentioned woman.

 

[babayaga]

There is something else that I remembered about Evgenia's mom that seems interesting under current circumstances. When Adjan Pitkeev was leaving Tutberidze's group with injured back, the injury that ended his career essentially, and Tutberidze as usual was badmouthing him, Med's mom went to social media and called him a traitor and said something like "let god judge him". So yeah, she is pretty active.