Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: “The world has become so social that every word you say could be taken the wrong way. Several athletes have had to explain their words. And I want people to be able to express their thoughts and emotions the way they want to.”
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva about the off-season and publicity.
original source: Sport-express dd. 19th June 2024 by Dmitri Kuznetsov.
In a the interview with Sport Express, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva talks about the off season, Aleksandta Boikova’s comment about stupid athletes and publicity. Here’s a translation of her comment.
Q: Do you detox from figure skating during your off-season? Tired of it?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: I do. But it’s because of summer, in September I start watching the junior stages of the ‘Grand Prix’.
Q: At least not ice dancing?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: No, haven’t reached that point yet. (Laughs.)
Q: The off-season in Russia is often not boring. A striking statement of the last days is Sasha Boikova’s saying there are “stupid athletes”. Do you agree?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: Let’s first understand what “stupid athlete” means.
Q: According to hurdler Shubenkov – those who have nothing to talk about.
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: There is something to talk about with every person. No matter how many people I’ve met, you can always adjust and find an interesting topic. All athletes have their own interests. I can’t say that there are directly stupid athletes. They used to say this about boxers, but boxing is an incredibly complicated sport, the brain has to work extremely fast. Complex coordination sports make the brain work. You can’t understand nothing and still be a great athlete.
I think there are not stupid athletes, but those who find it easier to perform. And there are those who put a lot of responsibility on themselves and cannot turn off the flow of thoughts. It’s still not clear whether this is a smart athlete or a stupid one. The ability to shut off thoughts – is this something you’re born with or you’ve had such strong self-control, that you’ve learned?
Q: What surprises me even more – why in figure skating everyone makes excuses. Sasha had to write the next day that she didn’t mean that. Do you notice this tendency?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: The tendency is there, and I think it’s not only in figure skating and not only in Russia. There are several athletes who have had to explain their words. It seems to me that the world has become so… social, shall we say, that every word you say could be taken the wrong way. You need to think about what you’re saying. But I’m not an advocate of such an approach. I want people to be able to express their thoughts and emotions the way they want to.
Why do they make excuses? Because words affect their reputation. In figure skating it’s important. One has to be careful because athletes are afraid, or assume, or have witnessed that their results can change because of reputation. We have to live by these rules. It’s not a race – you ran 100 meters faster than everyone else, and you’re first. We have nuances.
Q: Have you had to catch yourself thinking that you’re holding back?
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: Sometimes. I tried to understand whether I ought to write certain words on social media or not. And the fact that I had to hesitate doesn’t suit my freedom-loving soul. But at the same time, I understand that there are children among my subscribers, which stops me in some cases. I just accepted that this is a sacrifice for the sake of media exposure. I need to come to terms with it. Maybe one day I will decide – I will write whatever I want and nobody can stop me!
Related topics: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
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