Alexander Zhulin: “There are methods of encouraging judges in figure skating worldwide, of course. Again, it’s unproven, but it exists.”

Alexander Zhulin about bribes in figure skating, same-gender pairs and Ukranian team not clapping to Valieva at the Olympics.

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Alexander Zhulin spoke about bribing judges in figure skating.

“There are methods of encouraging judges worldwide, of course. Again, it’s unproven, but it exists.

Because both Russian judges and former countries of the Soviet Union, the CIS countries, they are not living in luxury. And if you make them a good offer, especially if your pair, or single skater, or someone else is performing well, then I think such options cannot be ruled out.

Is it normal? Well, if others incentivize, and I don’t incentivize – I’m knowingly putting myself at a disadvantage.

But I’m not saying that I do this. I’m saying that it’s… a hypothetical example. It’s just that those who incentivize have an advantageous position. I’m just reasoning.” said Zhulin

Alexander Zhulin called the teaming up of Gabriella Papadakis and Madison Hubbell in ice dance “disgusting.”

“Well, it looks disgusting. Now, two boys skated on the ice. Two girls – Papadakis and the second girl, the world champion (Madison Hubbell – ed.). They seriously want to compete in ice dance among men and women. It looks disgusting.

Or a transformed man comes out and outperforms all the girls in swimming, swims ahead by 30 meters. We will never have this. How far can you go with this? In Norway, they have already gone so far as to say that a pedophile is not guilty of anything because he just can’t get an erection with anyone older than ten years,” Zhulin said.

Alexander Zhulin believes that Ukrainians were ordered not to applaud Kamila Valieva at the 2022 Olympics.

“In the last Olympics in Beijing, where Kamila Valieva skated, the Americans sat on our right side during the team competitions. And on the left side were the Ukrainians. So, after Kamila’s performance, all the Americans stood up and applauded. The Ukrainians sat and nobody even clapped. Well, apparently, there was an order from there.

It looked awful because they exposed themselves. Because when a brilliant performance by a brilliant person happens, it doesn’t matter where you are, who you are, or where you come from. In my opinion, the fact that sports have become so politicized is terrible,” Zhulin said.

Related topics: Alexander Zhulin, Gabriella Papadakis Guillaume Cizeron, Madison Hubbell Zachary Donohue