Post article on skaters & injuries

[Alexeiskate]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5046-2002Nov4.html

[Artemis]

Great article! I'm glad someone is pointing out the trade-offs of the money side of the sport.

[Emanfan]

I am a little surprised by Alexei's last statement. Blame? Is he not ultimately responsible for his own decisions? I don't think you can punish your body that much without it taking a huge toll. I'm surprised his coaching team didn't try to put a stop to all his appearances (although maybe they did and he ignored the warnings). In any event, you play the game, you take your chances (I guess).

I would hate to see him gone forever though. I'm not a big fan of his, but when I saw him in Vancouver (at Worlds and CSOI), he took my breath away.

[kimkom]

I totally agree with this Article. I've been thinking the same thing over the last several weeks, hearing about injury after injury among the elite skaters. It's frustrating. As much as I love seeing my favourite skaters in shows, I'd rather miss them at a show than in competition. I understand the need for money, I guess it's a real balancing act.

As for Yags' statement about blame, I wonder if something was lost in the translation and he meant "I don't know what to blame", meaning blaming overwork, lack of rest, or even the hip problem he was supposedly born with. If he did mean "who", I think we all often feel better trying to blame someone..and you know Yags, he's not very careful about choosing his words. ;)

I really hope these injuries can be treated with some rest, and we'll see everyone at Nationals and Worlds....

kimkom

[Emanfan]

Originally posted by kimkom
IAs for Yags' statement about blame, I wonder if something was lost in the translation and he meant "I don't know what to blame", meaning blaming overwork, lack of rest, or even the hip problem he was supposedly born with. If he did mean "who", I think we all often feel better trying to blame someone..and you know Yags, he's not very careful about choosing his words. ;)


I don't think he meant "who" either and certainly don't think he is trying to pass the buck here.

But I wonder if these skaters are not just going to have to take their lives back into their own hands. I don't think you can abuse (and I believe "abuse" is an appropriate word) your body all year training quad and triple axel combinations without it doing some damage. I know the money is an attractive incentive, but it appears we are starting to see quick burn out as the technical bar goes up. Heavens - Yagudin, Goebel, Plushenko all fairly seriously injured in the past year

[skatingfan3]

I'm surprised to read that Kwan, Slutskaya & Goebel wanted Tom Collins to extend the tour because "they're having such a wonderful time."

Well, I guess Slutskaya and Goebel is paying for it now. Goebel's having a slight hip injury and Slutskaya was sick for a couple of weeks and that delayed her training. No wonder she skipped Campbell's Int'l and Kristi's show.

I also feel bad for Plushenko, first a mild groin injury, now a sprain ankle.

Deborah

[Emanfan]

Originally posted by skatingfan3
I also feel bad for Plushenko, first a mild groin injury, now a sprain ankle.

Deborah

I think EP sprained his ankle a couple of weeks before the Campbell's International. I had heard that he was fit as a fiddle now. Does anyone have anything further on him?

I know that he skates his new SP and LP this weekend. Give 'em h***, Evgeny!

[Flatfoote]

Interesting, I just read the article, and it quotes Yagudin with "I don't know what to blame." Looks like they corrected it!

[Jaana]

Interesting article, thanks for the link!

< "Everyone is not in such great shape at all," Yagudin said. "That's because the [Champions on Ice] tour was so long. . . . It was too much, way too much. . . . After winning the Olympics and worlds, I wanted to be everywhere. I was just enjoying that time. . . . Sometimes you have to stop."

Tom Collins, the creator and owner of the tour, said Yagudin's criticism
of Champions on Ice was unwarranted, given that Yagudin performed in only about 40 shows. (Yagudin also did numerous shows with other tours, including Stars on Ice.) Collins said he understood the scrutiny and questions about the Champions on Ice schedule, but he defended it by saying it may have appeared more brutal than it actually was. Steps, he said, were taken to provide breaks for the skaters. The tour started later than usual, a week after the March world championships, and several rest periods -- of four and 10 days -- were built into the schedule.

He also said he did not force any skaters to do the entire summer season and that several even pleaded with him to extend it. >

Yes, I agree. Noboby forced Yagudin to do so many tours...

Marjaana

[donnamarie]

In the hard copy of the Washington Post, Alexi's quote is "I don't know what to blame." So, if it originally said "who to blame" online, it was apparently a typo.

[kwanette]

Alexei skated in both CSOI and Skate the Nation before joining COI.

Sarah was in no more than 30 shows. She was originally scheduled for 35, but missed a few because of an abdominal injury and a friend's prom.

Irina flew back to Russia between the Philadelphia show, I saw her there, and the Atlantic City show, 4 days later. I was at that show, also. She had, according to Tom Collins, some kind of "ankle infection." She missed a few tour stops.