“This’s wrong decision, unfair, very disappointing. All this decisions are aimed at oppressing Russian skaters.” Russian coaches and functionaries on losing spots at senior and junior Worlds
Russian coaches and functionaries commented on losing spots at senior and junior world championships of the 2022/2023 season.
The International Skating Union (ISU) has published the number of spots by country for the European and World Figure Skating Championships of the 2022/23 season.
The Russian team retained three spots in women’s, men’s, pair skating and ice dance for the European Championships. They will be used if the suspension is lifted from Russian athletes.
At the World Championships and the Junior World Championships, Russia lost its maximum number of spots. If athletes are admitted, one skater/pair per country will be allowed to compete in each event.
Here’re some comments from the Russian side.
Director General of FFKKR Alexander Kogan: Decided so decided. As long as they don’t allow us there’s nothing to talk about.
You are asking a very abstract and uninteresting question.
source: rsport
Honorary Vice President of ISU Alexander Lakernik: Our athletes participated in the 2022 European Championships and, accordingly, thanks to the results, they got all the spots. Since we were not at Worlds, there is only one spot.
If we are not allowed to the European Championships, then in a year there will also be only one spot.
How to return quotas in each discipline at the World Championships?
Alexander Lakernik: Russia did not participate, because it was not allowed to go there. ISU made a formal decision regarding participation in the last year’s championships, whether any other decisions are possible in terms of Russia – this is a topic for a separate discussion.
But the Russian Federation, of course, will fight for the return of spots.
source: matchtv.ru
Tatiana Tarasova: This is arbitrariness. Of course, you can challenge this decision, but what we get is unknown.
source: rsport
Irina Rodnina: First we need to get to the World Championships, and it will be only in March next year. Regarding the chances to return spots through litigation? I will say this: there is an attempt.
If we are admitted, will the leaders of our team cope with the task of returning the maximum number of spots?
Irina Rodnina: The task to cope or not to cope is difficult. First, the question is whether they will allow us or not, then everything else.
Unfortunately, judging by the way the situation is developing, I don’t have the best impressions about our admission.
source: matchtv.ru
Natalia Bestemianova: It was predictable. We were not allowed to the 2022 World Championships. And according to the rules, everything is reset if the federation was not present at the competitions.
Our athletes need to train and prepare for the Olympics. I hope we will ne allowed there. Because after the 2023 Worlds there will be three spots.
The main thing is to have the maximum number of spots for the Olympics. For us, the main thing is to be allowed to compete next year.
You need to look up to the legendary athletes who coped with difficulties in difficult times, now is such a time.
source: sport-express.ru
Tatiana Mishina: I think this is the wrong decision, unfair. Very disappointing.
All these decisions are aimed at oppressing Russian skaters.
When the situation changes, we will won the spots again, but it will be very difficult. It will be necessary to be utterly stronger, and this is not always possible.
source: metaratings
Evgeni Rukavitsin: It is unfortunate that a decision has been made on the number of spots for the World Championships for which there are no grounds.
We did not participate in the 2022 Worlds against our will. The ISU leadership decided to remove us in accordance with the recommendation of the IOC.
We missed the World Championships for reasons beyond our control, so it would be right and logical to leave the quotas that we had before the suspension.
source: rsport
Maria Butirskaya: For our girls, this, of course, is a tragedy. It turns out that only one of them will get the opportunity to take part in the World Championships.
On the other hand, they introduced an age minimum, so they will still have the opportunity to prove themselves without fear that 15-year-old competitors will come to replace them.
But the Olympic Games are ahead, and so far it is also unclear whether the Russians will be allowed there. And people do live by it. They work, shedding sweat and blood in training for their goal, but through no fault of their own, they can lose their dream.
It remains to be patient and hope for the best. The current situation cannot go on forever.
source: RT
Related topics: Alexander Lakernik, Evgeni Rukavitsin, Irina Rodnina, Natalia Bestemianova, Tatiana Mishina, Tatiana Tarasova
Many of these guys see trees but do not see the forest. State of Russian figure skating will, probably, be of no interest to anybody (including Russians themselves..) prior the next Winter Olympics. They just do not get the severity of the situation / or they choose to pretend like they do not. Sad.
We have a feeling that up to the last they didn’t realized that it would be that serious and have serious consequences for them. Or believed that their influence on ISU is enough to secure their position or really hoped to get away with it as usual. Ad only recently they’ve started to realized that it’s for real.