Russian figure skating news & updates in 2022

[TAHbKA]

I think it was Trankov's old buddy Pavel Sliusarenko from Perm.

Thanks

 

[TAHbKA]

Stanislava Konstantinova retired

 

[hanca]

Ivan Balchenko retired.

 

[Miezekatze]

Tuktamysheva seems to already be in Courchevel (?) at the moment, if I interpret instagram correctly.

 

[cholla]

Tuktamysheva seems to already be in Courchevel (?) at the moment, if I interpret instagram correctly.

The story she posted today wasn't filmed in Courchevel, it's not Patinoire du Forum but somewhere in Switzerland I think. She is scheduled to arrive on Aug 4 IIRC.

 

[hanca]

Ivan Balchenko retired.

So now it seems he didn’t retire. The news of his retirement came from the Russian forum, but now some articles says that he is surprised to hear about his retirement…

 

[caseyedwards]

Stanislava Konstantinova retired

If Russia wasn’t so amazing she could’ve had a longer career

 

[Karen-W]

So, apparently, Eteri's whining on IG about the exclusion of Russian skaters from international competition. Guess Diana & Gleb couldn't get a release from the RFSF after all.

Eteri Tutberidze on Instagram: "Чемпионаты Мира, распределение этапов Гран При, обновление рейтинга и тд. Всё это очень, очень расстраивает. Я многое понимаю, но не принимаю отстранение наших спортсменов, детей от международных соревнований. Конечн

52K likes, 2,621 comments - tutberidze.eteri on July 31, 2022: "Чемпионаты Мира, распределение этапов Гран При, обновление рейтинга и тд. Всё это очень, очень расстраивает. Я многое понимаю, но не принимаю отстранение наших спортсменов, детей от международных соревнований. Конечно так проще...

www.instagram.com

Machine translation:

World Championships, Grand Prix stage distribution, rating update, etc. This is all very upsetting. I understand a lot, but I do not accept the exclusion of our athletes, children from international competitions. Of course, it is easier to share medals and be happy for the little ones, but where are the basic principles - fair play? Or how did they explain to us that this is caring for our athletes? I think that ratings should not be updated and give out titles in our absence - it's absurd. I know that it is sport that erases borders and unites all athletes of the World. I believe this is a terrible mistake of the group of people in power to make decisions. Help us, God everyone to get out of this situation.

 

[jamesy]

"Please, our skaters, they are growing fat and lazy."

 

[Dobre]

Yes, where were those basic principles of fair play in the team and women's event at this year's Olympics?

 

[airgelaal]

Yes, where were those basic principles of fair play in the team and women's event at this year's Olympics?

The world revolves around russians, you know

 

[reut]

So, apparently, Eteri's whining on IG about the exclusion of Russian skaters from international competition. Guess Diana & Gleb couldn't get a release from the RFSF after all.

"I believe this is a terrible mistake of the group of people in power to make decisions. Help us, God everyone to get out of this situation."

Just wanted to make it clear, in the world of Bucha and Olenivka we're living right now this woman seriously talks about "terrible mistakes" and asks for the help of Lord, the Almighty? Because of the TERRIBLE LOSS of medals and titles and ranking? Also, not sure who explained her that this was out of "caring for her athletes", lol, some imagination that person has.

 

[starrynight]

Eteri crying about ‘fair play’ and the poor ‘little ones’ is basically comedy right?

I don’t think it’s worth trying to take that post seriously. I predicted that she’s likely to start acting out as the sport moves on without her and I think this is a product of the season starting up. Expecting more as the season progresses.

 

[antmanb]

"Won't someone think of the chiiiiiiiildreeeeeeeeeeen" cries Eteri as she signs off on the doping schedule for the children she coaches

 

[starrynight]

"Won't someone think of the chiiiiiiiildreeeeeeeeeeen" cries Eteri as she signs off on the doping schedule for the children she coaches

The total disregard for clean sport by her, her team and the Russian Fed is a good enough reason to ban them anyway.

After everything I’ve seen with the glorification of Valieva, I can’t see how there could ever be any faith in the future that these athletes are clean.

The ISU is probably relieved they don’t have to deal with Eteri’s skaters landing on the GP circuit with RUSADA showing absolutely no intention of ever doing anything about doping.

With Russia doing only internal competitions, there’s every chance the doping can just proceed unfettered.

 

[TAHbKA]

Well, you have to feel for her - instead of 7 GP events and gold medals in each she'll get.. well.. Kvitelashvili

 

[starrynight]

Well, you have to feel for her - instead of 7 GP events and gold medals in each she'll get.. well.. Kvitelashvili

Is he going to start getting hammered like Pitkeev if he is Eteri’s only international skater? Or does Eteri not care enough?

 

[MsZem]

So, apparently, Eteri's whining on IG about the exclusion of Russian skaters from international competition. Guess Diana & Gleb couldn't get a release from the RFSF after all.

Eteri Tutberidze on Instagram: "Чемпионаты Мира, распределение этапов Гран При, обновление рейтинга и тд. Всё это очень, очень расстраивает. Я многое понимаю, но не принимаю отстранение наших спортсменов, детей от международных соревнований. Конечн

52K likes, 2,621 comments - tutberidze.eteri on July 31, 2022: "Чемпионаты Мира, распределение этапов Гран При, обновление рейтинга и тд. Всё это очень, очень расстраивает. Я многое понимаю, но не принимаю отстранение наших спортсменов, детей от международных соревнований. Конечно так проще...

www.instagram.com

Machine translation:

World Championships, Grand Prix stage distribution, rating update, etc. This is all very upsetting. I understand a lot, but I do not accept the exclusion of our athletes, children from international competitions. Of course, it is easier to share medals and be happy for the little ones, but where are the basic principles - fair play? Or how did they explain to us that this is caring for our athletes? I think that ratings should not be updated and give out titles in our absence - it's absurd. I know that it is sport that erases borders and unites all athletes of the World. I believe this is a terrible mistake of the group of people in power to make decisions. Help us, God everyone to get out of this situation.

"Are you there, God? It's me, Eteri."

I think it's very clear what needs to be done to get out of the situation, though most of it is out of her hands.

 

[starrynight]

"Are you there, God? It's me, Eteri."

I think it's very clear what needs to be done to get out of the situation, though most of it is out of her hands.

Regardless of the war, the doping is a huge issue for Eteri too. The Russian ban is actually helping them sweep it under the carpet too and actually allows them to train athletes without international testing.

 

[Wyliefan]

"Are you there, God? It's me, Eteri."

"Quit drugging children and then get back to Me." --God, probably

 

[MsZem]

Regardless of the war, the doping is a huge issue for Eteri too. The Russian ban is actually helping them sweep it under the carpet too and actually allows them to train athletes without international testing.

Yes, that's the part that is not out of her hands. But it's a systemic issue in Russia, and as you note, not the reason Russian athletes are currently unable to compete.

 

[Stephanie]

Regardless of the war, the doping is a huge issue for Eteri too. The Russian ban is actually helping them sweep it under the carpet too and actually allows them to train athletes without international testing.

Regardless of how realistic it is, the Russians are hoping they’ll be allowed back (via CAS decision, war ending) sooner rather than later, specifically mentioning euros and worlds in interviews. Therefore they would still need to do all the necessary international coping testing as I believe you need to be in the pool for around 6 months to be allowed to compete.

 

[starrynight]

Regardless of how realistic it is, the Russians are hoping they’ll be allowed back (via CAS decision, war ending) sooner rather than later, specifically mentioning euros and worlds in interviews. Therefore they would still need to do all the necessary international coping testing as I believe you need to be in the pool for around 6 months to be allowed to compete.

But wouldn’t that domestic testing be done by RUSADA? I now know there’s no chance RUSADA will regularly test the athletes, do proper random tests (without tipping off the coaches in advance) or even care about doping, so that testing is very unreliable.

The only reason Valieva got caught is that some huge stuff up occurred where the team was silly enough to have her compete at nationals with the drug still in her system. The team must have had some way of being assured doping control just weren’t going to test unannounced and regularly outside of competitions. They would have been using that gap in competition before nationals to dope when they knew there would be no testing. Some arrangement would have to be in place with RUSADA to ensure the success of this procedure. They couldn’t have some pencil pusher at RUSADA sending a random tester to Sambo 70 every couple of weeks.

 

[taz'smum]

Regardless of the war, the doping is a huge issue for Eteri too. The Russian ban is actually helping them sweep it under the carpet too and actually allows them to train athletes without international testing.

Russian athletes are still being tested regularly, as Tiff got tested by RUSADA both times she's been back to Moscow since February.

 

[airgelaal]

We, we, we, us, us, us, we, we, we, us, us, us
They do not even try to pretend that they are interested in the whole world. They absolutely don't care. As I understand it, the sun rises in the morning only thanks to russia.

 

[Holy Headband]

Eteri crying about ‘fair play’ and the poor ‘little ones’ is basically comedy right?

I don’t think it’s worth trying to take that post seriously. I predicted that she’s likely to start acting out as the sport moves on without her and I think this is a product of the season starting up. Expecting more as the season progresses.

The bolded phrase is very interesting to me. I've wondered for a while now what will happen if the war drags on, the sanctions regime persists, the Russian economy eventually goes to shit and Putin's tenure ends one way or another (massive public discontent when the money runs out/the government tries mass mobilisation and/or a mysterious health emergency or whatever) in a year or two.

In the world of figure skating, I mean.

If Russian skaters miss out on more than one full season of international competition, will they, and in particular Eteri's pupils, still receive the scoring bonuses they've long been accustomed to?

There are some Russian skaters who deserve their high scores and more, like Kolyada, most pairs teams, some of the ice dance teams, etc., but in the women's field in particular they've long benefited from very generous judging, in terms of both GOE and components.

So if Russian skating makes an ignominious return to the international scene in a year or two, presumably with less money to throw around, and a new international elite has emerged in the meantime in the face of the Japanese and Korean girls, Loena, etc., who all have either stronger basics or better jumping technique, or both, how are the former untouchable phenoms going to be scored?

I want to believe the judges won't immediately revert to form, but I'm not sure.

 

[euterpe]

Since the Russian and Russian-loaned judges would also be back, why would the scoring of Russian skaters be any different from what it was before the ban?

 

[Bouffantrex]

Russian athletes are still being tested regularly, as Tiff got tested by RUSADA both times she's been back to Moscow since February.

Pardon my ignorance, and not to single out this particular athlete, but how is RUSADA still allowed to be a valid entity outside of Russia? Clearly this organization cannot be trusted to accurately test Russian athletes, particularly those from Tutberidze's camp--and for those results to be valid on an international stage.

If/when Russians return to international competition, will any additional measures be put in place to ensure they are competing clean and not doping, state-sponsored or otherwise?

 

[Bouffantrex]

I don’t think it’s worth trying to take that post seriously. I predicted that she’s likely to start acting out as the sport moves on without her and I think this is a product of the season starting up. Expecting more as the season progresses.

Exactly. I expect to see her back to kissing Putin's ass soon, particularly as her USA trip didn't go as planned.

 

[Vagabond]

Regardless of how realistic it is, the Russians are hoping they’ll be allowed back (via CAS decision, war ending) sooner rather than later, specifically mentioning euros and worlds in interviews.

Has even a single Russian skater expressed the hope that the war will end soon, let alone with anything short of a total Russian victory, which would not help Russian athletes compete again?