“Ending our career would have been the weak choice. That decision would have proven that all their actions have an impact on us.” Stepanova and Bukin on their exclusion from Olympic qualification and not appealing to CAS
Stepanova and Bukin: “Ending Our Career Would Have Been the Weak Choice”
Russian ice dancers Aleksandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin reflect on their Olympic qualification ban, choosing to continue their careers despite challenges and sharing their thoughts about not pursuing arbitration with CAS. Here’s a translation of their comments.
Aleksandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin recently shared their thoughts on their exclusion from qualification for the 2026 Olympics during an interview on Channel One. The International Skating Union (ISU) denied the pair neutral status, preventing them from competing in the Olympic qualification tournament held in Beijing.
On Receiving the News
Ivan Bukin: “It’s a very tough question. This news occupied a significant place in our minds when we were excluded from the qualification. We reflected a lot on this and discussed it extensively, both with each other and with our coaches.
Ultimately, we decided that ending our career would have been the weak choice. That decision would have proven that all their actions have an impact on us, you know? But the most important thing is that we love figure skating, and we can’t imagine our lives without it.”
Aleksandra Stepanova: I completely agree. I remember the moment vividly – we had already choreographed our free dance and were preparing. We had ended our season a bit early, skipping some events.
When we learned the news, it wasn’t an easy moment at all. But we’re glad we’re here now and that we pulled ourselves together. I hope we’ll improve with every single competition.
On the CAS Decision and Staying Focused
Ivan Bukin also addressed the decision not to appeal the ISU ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), explaining the reasoning behind their choice.
Ivan Bukin: We were on vacation when we found out about the situation. We had already ended the season a bit earlier. At the time, we had finished creating our free dance. Finding out this kind of news – it’s not something you ever want, regardless of the timing or place.
Let the responsibility lie on those who make these decisions. We cannot challenge them – we weren’t even told why we were excluded. I believe every athlete, especially those who’ve competed internationally and at the Olympics, deserves to know the specific reason for their exclusion. It’s only fair. But the situation is what it is.
Regarding seeking arbitration through CAS? It was already outlined clearly that we could not contest the decision. Appealing would have meant spending time just to find out what we already suspected – that nothing would change. So, we decided not to waste time on that and instead focus on working on ourselves and continuing our career.”
Related topics: Alexandra Stepanova Ivan Bukin
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