Ilia Averbukh: “I think watching this European Championships is a waste of time. Without Russian figure skaters is a Category B competition.”
Translation of Ilia Averbukh’s comments about European Championships without Russian skaters.
original source: TASS
Here’s a translation of Ilia Averbukh’s comments about European Championships 2024. The competition takes place from January 10 to 14 in Kaunas, Lithuania.
“The only motivation to watch such a tournament is to see your hypothetical competitors, but the European Championship without Russian figure skaters is objectively a Category B competition.
For many years, Russia has taken medals in these competitions. I am not interested in watching the European Championships taking place in a country so hostile to Russia.
The only thing Lithuania has historically excelled in figure skating is ice dance, thanks to Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas, who always trained in Russia.
I think watching this European Championships is a waste of time.
Especially during the period of the unjust suspension of our guys, there is a feeling that the door has been closed in front of us, and we have to peep through the keyhole; I won’t be peeping through the keyhole for sure,” said Ilia Averbukh
Related topics: Ilia Averbukh
Russian government is a dictatorship, yet Julian Assange is in British Belmarsh prison for revealing the criminal activities of Western (U.S.) government. A real democracy with abundance of hypocrisy.
To Dani: It’s usually the ‘experts’ who are talking, not the active skaters. They are talking about the European skaters because of the European championship. And Russian athletes should be allowed to express that they are disagreeing with the ban. Again: Russian figure skaters did not start the war!
Why Russian skaters are always talking about european skaters, and their low level? Everybody knows why Russians can’t compete. It’s not a decision taken by european athlets! Seemed they don’t even understand the reasons and think someone else are stealing their medals!
To Dominic: Thanks, I respect your opinion. I do hope we will get a chance to create a more fair, open and non-corrupt society;)
@No war, something tells me you’re Russian, and I understand you are against this war. I also understand the situation is tough, but I still want to say – you can oppose, you just have to be many people. Well, fingers crossed for anti-war people in Russia, wish you all the best, I’m with you. Still my opinions on sports in the wartime remain the same.
To Dominique: I think the brutal wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, countries in Latin America were real. US led these wars with millions innocent killed. Putin’ war in Ukraine is unjust, no doubt. Some brave Russians did protest – they were bitten up, tortured, locked in jail. Unfortunately, ordinary Russians cannot influence the situation. They have a brutal, clever and heavily armed dictator at the top, ready to use force against his own people.
@No war, What you write is a common misunderstanding. Those athletes are not innocent victims. They benefit hugely from governmental founds, they are a tool of propaganda and many of them actively support this war, many others are happily drinking Champaign with the dictator. And keep in mind – aggression against Ukraine is the first such aggression after World War 2 where military power invites another sovereign country, trying to eliminate it as a nation, erasing their culture, economy, everything. Above all, Russia is repetitively threading the rest of the world with nuclear weapons. I honestly only know two Russian star athletes that took a distance from Kremlin and as far as I know, they are doing great (Scherbakova and Tuktamysheva) So the others support Putin, because the WANT to, because they share the very same oversized ego, which also is obvious when you read how they mo k and belittle others. For such people there is simply no place on the international arena. Not even after the war.
You should try to separate Russian people from Mr Putin. Russia is a dictatorship (and ‘western’ countries have done a lot to strengthen the dictator..). Should we blame and punish Americans for the wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq etc…? Were these wars just and fair…?
I am against the war but European competition without Russian figure skaters is not as interesting. I’ve stopped watching. Russian figure skaters are not guilty in this war.
Category B without doping!?
Sophie, yeah, his total lack of class is unbelievable. And I really, really enjoy competitions without those people. Pure sport at last!
Suit yourself, my dude.
So Ilia Averbukh shows his true colours – so totally oversized ego and no class at all. Maybe he needs to be reminded that this myth about Russian greatness is only a myth. In figure skating as much as in everything else. As long as we have unsolved bribe and doping allegations, as long as the war continues, Mr Averbukhs words are just pitiful expressions for bullying. Nothing to care about. Championships without Russians are clean and joyful, finally a real sport we have been denied with their presence.