Evgeni Plushenko: “There’re situations like at the Olympics for our girls – they compete also off the ice. I’m against it, I always followed the principle – when you took off your skates – be friends.”
Evgeni Plushenko about a chances that Alexandra Trusova and Alena Kostornaia will return to his academy and his attitude to rivalry in figure skating.
Trusova and Kostornaia prepared for the show at your Academy. Should we wait for the return transfers or was it just a preparation for the performance?
Evgeni Plushenko: You immediately start talking about some transfers! I didn’t think about it, girls don’t think either, they have their coaches. Our first task is to make a show in Russia “Union of Champions”. To give our athletes the opportunity to perform, who, unfortunately, have lost all international competitions, exhibitions performances. I had a spontaneous idea that I wanted to implement – to give our athletes a chance to perform in front of our audience.
source: sport-express.ru
How are the rehearsals, preparation for the show going? After all, all skaters are rivals among themselves.
Evgeni Plushenko: In general, I adhere to such an opinion and plan that there are rivals on ice – precisely at competitions. You took off your skates – you should be a friend, you should help. There are situations like at the Olympics for girls, and for guys too – they compete also off the ice, so to speak. I’m against it. When you took off your skates – be friends. When you put on skates – fight with your quadruple jumps, programs, prove that you are the best. When I was in sports, I followed this principle. And now this is how I bring up my son and my athletes.
source: sport-express.ru
Related topics: Alena Kostornaia, Alexandra Trusova, Evgeni Plushenko
I watched his competitions with his rivals, and he was not friendly towards his rivals, especially with Yagudin. I remember he was bitter after losing the Olympic gold medal to Yagudin, he kept claiming that he deserved the gold because his program was more technically difficult.
Only a kindergarden teacher preach about friendship, birds and rainbows. A world where wolves dont eat sheeps. That works well for his kindergarden club.
We’re talking about super elites here. There is only one gold in every event. Better they stay professional friend and it’s enough to be nice to other people. For example, Shcherbakova and Trusova’s or Kostornaya and Trusova’s relationship is better like what it were. It’s better if sincere friendships blooms naturally and not because there are cameras on their faces.
Plushitko.
Yeah Evgeni, you were really close friends with Yagudin during Olympic season right? You were also really close with lysacek and was really happy with your silver right?