Yagudin Addresses the Changing Fortunes of Russia's Skating Dominance

[lotusland]

New Bev Smith article in the Toronto Globe & Mail, regarding what many are predicting will be the end of Russian podium dominance in the world of competitive figure skating:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050420.wyagudin20/BNStory/Sports/

[singerskates]

Wow, I'm torn now.

It's something how some can make it even through great struggles.

Well, yeah, I thought Alexie was Canadian now, EH? LOL Yes, we like Alexie because he has guts like our Elvis Stojko.

[windsor]

Wow. So sad to think that Russian figure skating is dying. Although, of course, I prefer it when American skaters win ;) I hate to think it might only be because the Russians are no longer a factor! That country has brought so much to the sport...to think it would be gone because of the federation and money.

I think it is even sadder the way the federations in many countries abuse their power the way they do. Any time an official or a judge speaks out about their federations - they suddenly stop getting assignments and find themselves black-listed. And, this isn't just in Russia. France, too. I think I've read in the past of some sketchy activity among the USFSA, also. It's like figure skating is run by the mafia. And, the worst part of it is, the ultimate governing body, the ISU, is The Godfather of it all. If corruption begins at the top, it is inevitable it will just trickle on down. Where are safeguards to prevent the abuses?

I always thought Butyrskaia's costumes were wretched because she had bad taste. Turns out she was scratching them together on her own! That explains so much!! ;) Does that explain Baiul's choices at the '94 Olympics??!!Hehehehehe :halo:

[AuroraBorealis]

I always thought Butyrskaia's costumes were wretched because she had bad taste. Turns out she was scratching them together on her own! That explains so much!! ;) Does that explain Baiul's choices at the '94 Olympics??!!Hehehehehe :halo:

I don't know, but I was under the impression that she enjoyed making them.
And Baiul represented the Ukraine in Lillehammer, so the Russian Fed. was not involved.

[windsor]

I don't know, but I was under the impression that she enjoyed making them.
And Baiul represented the Ukraine in Lillehammer, so the Russian Fed. was not involved.

Um...hello...I was just kidding on that last part.

[loveskating]

Russian skating will never die...it is incorporated now into all of skating. Who is going to stop doing the death spiral, for instance?

But I would not nail the coffin shut on Russians winning international competitions, although in pairs, China has provided some real competition.

My sense of the nature of these criticisms is that they are part of changes that will benefit Russian skating. Perhaps they are indicative that with Russia doing much better economically, now an effort will be made to figure out how to help skating function within Russia under new, more social democratic conditions (not wild west, totally unregulated capitalism nor a socialist state either, more of a European model).

[windsor]

I was wondering if maybe this was some propaganda on Yadgudin's part or something because in a recent IFS mag Slutskaya was talking about the future of Russian skating and didn't seem to foresee any problems at all.