An investigation into Katia Alexandrovskaya's heartbreaking death by The Australian & The Daily Telegraph

[Lacey]

I’m kinda stunned that no one is mentioning that she was an alcoholic perhaps to the point of blackouts! That is very dangerous, and there’s no mention of getting to any kind of treatment for it. I’m guessing based on the article she wasn’t coping with her father’s death was one underlying cause. Add epilepsy on top and this girl needed an intervention and treatment long before she left Australia. ☹

This is post #27

 

[skatingguy]

You have no idea what happened. All you are doing is jumping to conclusions and stirring the pot based on a tabloid article. While Katia's family is grieving. What's needed in situations like this is basic human decency and respect. I don't know why you are so hell-bent on proving a girl you've never met was a drunk.

Delete. I am getting really fired up here. This is a very distasteful discussion.

Why are you so determined to describe her in negative terms? Having a drinking problem is an issue that can be addressed with counselling, & sometimes medication, and as the article states, she was in counselling at one point. That's why I think it needs to be discussed.

(likely never heard of before her death)

How dare you? I've been a skating fan since I was 8 years old watching the Calgary Olympics. I've been active on this board for several years now, and before that I was active on the ISU boards for many more years. Somewhere in the archives will be posts I made in the 'Kiss'n'Cry' forum when she won the World Juniors with Harley Windsor, and I was very excited to see a pairs team representing Australia have that kind of success in figure skating. I'm very sorry that they struggled with injury the past few years, and even more so when they announced that Katia was retiring from skating because of one of those injuries. Having known several people who have committed suicide, attended their funerals, and spoke to their closest family members, I have nothing but sympathy for the family. I hope that they are able to find some measure of closure in these tragic events, and I recognize that no words that anyone could post in this forum will bring them much comfort. I have to hold out hope that the future will be better, and that we will do better, and to me that means bringing these issues to light, discussing them, and pushing for solutions.

 

[Vagabond]

Yes, I have read the article.

But it appears you hadn't when you posted this:

If someone says that according to people who knew her, she drunk too much, I would not object to that. But I am objecting that on this forum someone wrote that she was an alcoholic. And if this is what some article says, then the article is wrong, because it is just the writer’s assumption. A writer pretending to be a medical specialist.

So if you did read it, you must have done so after you posted what I was responding to.

 

[Aussie Willy]

You are missing my point. I am not assuming that because a teenager can’t buy alcohol, they can’t obtain it in any way. I am not disputing the fact that sometimes she drank. I drink sometimes, you drink sometimes, many people drink sometimes. But I am disputing the label that she was an alcoholic. You are saying that the reports are true, but what exactly have you seen to make you so sure she is an alcoholic? Have you been drinking with her every day, checking how much alcohol she consumed? Or have you just seen her drunk a few times? Seeing her drunk a few times on a party doesn’t make her an alcoholic. What exactly has the author seen that that he/she can make such claims? The author is just sticking diagnosis on a person who has no opportunity to say their bit, and that’s wrong, in my view.

Maybe you need to trust those involved in the sport in Australia. There are a few of us here.

While I have issues with the newspaper who did the article, I do think it was written with a concern about issues regarding athletes changing countries and the support or lack thereof they receive.

 

[hanca]

But it appears you hadn't when you posted this:

So if you did read it, you must have done so after you posted what I was responding to.

I read the article that’s posted here, but I cannot be sure that I read all articles that has been written about this topic, and if @skatfan can make such claims about Alexandrovskaya being an alcoholic, I want to know what was the proof he/she based it on. To me it is quite serious thing to brand someone with this.

 

[Willin]

I wonder why they just told her to quit skating instead of offering treatment for the epilepsy? It sounds like she could've gotten treatment in Australia, but why not Russia? She may have needed to take time off to find the right medications to control the seizures, but once they were under control I don't know why she couldn't return to the ice?

Then again if the article is right about her drinking and that timeline maybe the seizures were related to alcohol withdrawal? Even then she could've gotten treatment for it... And if it's true who was buying her that much alcohol at 16?

Honestly it's such a tragic situation. I feel so bad for her.

 

[hanca]

Maybe you need to trust those involved in the sport in Australia. There are a few of us here.

While I have issues with the newspaper who did the article, I do think it was written with a concern about issues regarding athletes changing countries and the support or lack thereof they receive.

Being in the country does not make you an expert of sport people living in the same country. Would you believe everything I can tell you about the royal family? And I did meet them, but it still doesn’t make me an expert.

 

[skatingguy]

This is post #27

Yes, I can agree that this post is problematic, and doesn't follow from the information in the article and confirmed in this thread. It's not the way I would have chosen to start the discussion, but it might present an opportunity to discuss the differences between alcoholism & problem drinking. We could start a thread else where and take this discussion away from this portion of the forum.

 

[skatingguy]

Being in the country does not make you an expert of sport people living in the same country. Would you believe everything I can tell you about the royal family? And I did meet them, but it still doesn’t make me an expert.

I'm fairly certain that @Aussie Willy is a judge with Ice Skating Australia, and so probably one of the best positioned posters to tell us about what steps are being taken in that country in light of this tragedy.

 

[Lacey]

Yes, I can agree that this post is problematic, and doesn't follow from the information in the article and confirmed in this thread. It's not the way I would have chosen to start the discussion, but it might present an opportunity to discuss the differences between alcoholism & problem drinking. We could start a thread else where and take this discussion away from this portion of the forum.

Please do start a thread elsewhere, thank you for thinking of that, I'm exhausted.

 

[hanca]

Yes, I can agree that this post is problematic, and doesn't follow from the information in the article and confirmed in this thread. It's not the way I would have chosen to start the discussion, but it might present an opportunity to discuss the differences between alcoholism & problem drinking. We could start a thread else where and take this discussion away from this portion of the forum.

Yes, just slightly problematic. So unimportant that some posters even suggest we should take it to PM. Why bother challenging if someone calls someone else an alcoholic?

 

[hanca]

I'm fairly certain that @Aussie Willy is a judge with Ice Skating Australia, and so probably one of the best positioned posters to tell us about what steps are being taken in that country in light of this tragedy.

AussieWilly may be a skating judge in Australia, but unless she lived with the girl, or treated her as her doctor, it is unlikely that she spent with her significant amount of time every day or that she had an access to confidential medical information.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

I think there is one-man fight here to "learn" a pile of dirty laundry aired by a tabloid. @skatingguy, whatever floats your boat. There are also articles claiming Katia was forced to work as a stripper in Moscow. Next we'll have allegations of mafia / drug connections, as I previously said. You can link all of them and discuss at length if you wish. I respectfully withdraw from this conversation. RIP Katia, and best wishes to her family.

P.S. Unless you are Katia's doctor, close friend, coach or family member - you know nothing. Would be nice to maintain a shred of dignity and respect here.

 

[Aussie Willy]

AussieWilly may be a skating judge in Australia, but unless she lived with the girl, or treated her as her doctor, it is unlikely that she spent with her significant amount of time every day or that she had an access to confidential medical information.

I have messaged you privately.

 

[Coco]

If a specialist coach is lying to the head coach to say work was done when it wasn't due to an athlete being hungover or due to any medical issue with physical impacts/symptoms, that is a massive problem!

And if a minor athlete is so drunk in an airport or on a plane that they can't walk without assistance,....to let this pass without getting that young person treatment is just.... I'm dumbfounded. Once needs a lecture, twice needs intervention.

I keep going back in my mind to South Park's Britney Spears episode. She's walking around with her head misshapen and all the adults are still trying to make her perform as though everything is normal.

 

[overedge]

I can't get past the paywall, but I am not sure why a track and field administrator would have any particularly well informed insights into country-trading in ice skating.

 

[MacMadame]

How dare you? I've been a skating fan since I was 8 years old watching the Calgary Olympics. I've been active on this board for several years now, and before that I was active on the ISU boards for many more years. Somewhere in the archives will be posts I made in the 'Kiss'n'Cry' forum when she won the World Juniors with Harley Windsor, and I was very excited to see a pairs team representing Australia have that kind of success in figure skating.

It's pretty stupid to think a regular poster on FSU doesn't know who these two are. We talk about this team all. the. time. I think it tells you a lot about where they are coming from and I ignore her and the other pearl clutchers.

 

[Vagabond]

I wonder why they just told her to quit skating instead of offering treatment for the epilepsy?

I assume, but don't know, that Russian physicians are under an obligation to keep their communications with their patients confidential. If so, what appeared in the article is at best the reporter's version of someone else's account of what Alexandrovskaya told him or her.

I'm fairly certain that @Aussie Willy is a judge with Ice Skating Australia, and so probably one of the best positioned posters to tell us about what steps are being taken in that country in light of this tragedy.

There you go again, being well informed and rational....

​

 

[beckab81]

The whole situation is incredibly sad. I found the article shed light on things I had wondered about regarding their career, such as the move to canada. I'm not familiar with the publication, but they took the time to talk to people who worked closely with her, and I saw that Harley shared the article, so I don't view it as "airing dirty laundry" from a tabloid. It touches on themes that have been discussed many times on this board - relationships with coaches, injury issues, concussions, mental health, and how international partnerships are built, among others.

My father had seizures years ago, and while he was not diagnosed with epilepsy, he was directed not to drive for 6 months and had to restrict other activities - after a period where he was seizure free, he could start them up again. I suspect the direction to stop competitive skating was similar, that the doctors wanted to make sure she was stabilized before re-starting something potentially dangerous, especially with her history of concussions.

 

[Willin]

I assume, but don't know, that Russian physicians are under an obligation to keep their communications with their patients confidential. If so, what appeared in the article is at best the reporter's version of someone else's account of what Alexandrovskaya told him or her.

There you go again, being well informed and rational....

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I thought that Alexandrovskaya herself was the one that said this back when she retired? That she was forced to retire due to a medical condition? I get that the article is highly questionable and features some unconfirmed gossip, but I thought that part was known to be true...

 

[clairecloutier]

I thought that Alexandrovskaya herself was the one that said this back when she retired? That she was forced to retire due to a medical condition? I get that the article is highly questionable and features some unconfirmed gossip, but I thought that part was known to be true...

Alexandrovskaya/Windsor’s split was announced by Windsor on his Instagram on Feb 26.

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He cited unnamed “health concerns” and wished Alexandrovskaya “a quick recovery.” I do not recall seeing any statement from Alexandrovskaya about the split (although I could have missed something). Nor do I recall seeing any press articles about it.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Alexandrovskaya/Windsor’s split was announced by Windsor on his Instagram on Feb 26.

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He cited unnamed “health concerns” and wished Alexandrovskaya “a quick recovery.” I do not recall seeing any statement from Alexandrovskaya about the split (although I could have missed something). Nor do I recall seeing any press articles about it.

There was a thread here a while ago about the partnership finishing.

 

[clairecloutier]

The breakup was mentioned in the Australian skating thread on Feb 26 (citing Windsor’s Insta post of that day). But no further articles or statement from Alexandrovskaya were listed in that thread.

Australian skating news

Andrew has just announced on Twitter that this was his last singles competition. :( I wish he could have gone out with a medal - only three hundredths off! - but that fall in the StSq really rattled him. Well he had a pretty good run! And he is really suited to ice dance as well :)

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[skatingguy]

There you go again, being well informed and rational....

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What would recommend next time? Maybe f-bombs?

 

[skatfan]

I read the article that’s posted here, but I cannot be sure that I read all articles that has been written about this topic, and if @skatfan can make such claims about Alexandrovskaya being an alcoholic, I want to know what was the proof he/she based it on. To me it is quite serious thing to brand someone with this.

I am a pastor, and I guess I am used to people telling me they are alcoholics. I am sorry my use of this word has been taken as some kind of judgment on a beautiful young woman as that was not my intention at all. I apologize and will use different words in the future. My comment was to highlight that the epilepsy was not the only problem issue raised in the article by those who knew her.

 

[hanca]

To be fair, maybe I have overreacted, but difference between excessive drinking and being an alcoholic is huge. The same like difference between feeling a bit low and being clinically depressed.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

To be fair, maybe I have overreacted, but difference between excessive drinking and being an alcoholic is huge. The same like difference between feeling a bit low and being clinically depressed.

I have read all your posts in this discussion. I did not want to comment when I first heard about her tragic death. I won’t tell you how or where I got this info but she was truly a sad soul and what has been written in the newspaper had been witnessed by people training with her. It is truly heartbreaking and these people had enough respect For her not to come on skating boards to tell you these things. They all realised how much of a broken soul she was. May she Rest In Peace.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

It is truly heartbreaking and these people had enough respect For her not to come on skating boards to tell you these things. They all realised how much of a broken soul she was. May she Rest In Peace.

I am confused. These people had enough respect to not come to skating boards - but did not have enough respect not to talk to the newspaper? While knowing Katia's private life would ultimately end up nothing but gossip fodder on the same skating boards you are talking about?

 

[Prancer]

May I suggest that all of you take a break from this thread for a while, like until maybe tomorrow, and then come back to it when your hackles aren't quite so raised?

Just a suggestion.

 

[Aussie Willy]

I am confused. These people had enough respect to not come to skating boards - but did not have enough respect not to talk to the newspaper? While knowing Katia's private life would ultimately end up nothing but gossip fodder on the same skating boards you are talking about?

Personally knowing the people in the article skating boards would be the last thing on their mind.