Sofia Muravieva: “I was always told that I was very thin. But when weigh-ins started, it became a tough time for me. Girls my age were 5–6 kilograms heavier, but I was still told that I needed to lose weight.”

Sofia Muravieva shared her struggles with an eating disorder and the impact it had on her career.

original source: Katok Youtube show / text version Sports

Two-time Russian Nationals medalist Sofia Muravieva spoke about her difficulties caused by an eating disorder. Here’s a translation of her comments.

“There were different periods, and in different coaching teams. I was always told that I was very thin. But when weigh-ins started, it became a tough time for me. Girls my age were 5–6 kilograms heavier, but I was still told that I needed to lose weight. And when I gained just 100–200 grams, I was immediately told: ‘Your butt is big, this has grown…’ That’s when I developed serious insecurities.

Then I moved to Alexei Nikolaevich (Mishin). With Plushenko, I wasn’t weighed. I didn’t have a severe disorder, and then weigh-ins began. It happened to coincide with the final stage of puberty. It was really harsh. The more I was weighed, the more weight I gained. That’s just how it works. Later, they stopped weighing me, and I lost 2 kilograms. The calmer the atmosphere, the easier it is to lose weight.

Last season (meaning the 2024/25 season) was the toughest for me mentally, in terms of the eating disorder. I wasn’t weighed, but I saw that I was gaining weight. The diet didn’t work, and I didn’t understand what was happening. I’d go for a jump, but my arms wouldn’t come together. And it was like that the whole season. Only at the end did I start to feel normal,” said 19-year-old Muravieva on the show “Katok.”

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