Beijing Olympics: Russian Figure Skaters

In the midst of all the glory, prestige, and competition that comes with the Olympics, women’s figure skating, in particular, has garnered unprecedented attention from the masses in recent years. This increased interest arises both from admiration of the increasing competition levels and from horror at the harsh conditions the youth face whilst competing. At the forefront of this figure skating controversy is the 2022 Winter Olympics, featuring Russian athletes Kamila Valieva, Alexandra Trusova, and Anna Shcherbakova.

Kamila Valieva:

Entering the Olympics as the favored winner for the women’s free skate, the announcement that Valieva, who was only 15 years old at the time, tested positive for the banned drug trimetazidine created an especially massive uproar amongst spectators. When questioned about her consumption of the heart medication, it was argued that her grandfather may have accidentally contaminated a strawberry dessert with his medication, and therefore she was not at fault for the positive results. Although this explanation was rejected, Kamila’s status as a protected person meant that a greater emphasis would be placed on the misconduct of her coaches rather than on herself. For this reason, Valieva was allowed to continue to compete, but medal ceremonies involving her would be indefinitely postponed until further investigation was conducted.

However, despite all expectations, she unfortunately made many uncharacteristic falls during the women’s free skate, potentially a result of the built-up tension and nerves that resulted from her circumstances. Disappointed and frustrated, the weight of the throat-cutting game finally fell; tears quickly fell. Instead of the expected 1st, she placed 4th overall, just missing a spot on the podium.

As per recent updates, her doping scandal has resulted in her disqualification from the games, nulling her scores and contributions to her team. She is also banned from the sport until December 2025, the month preceding the next Winter Olympics game.

Throughout this controversy, spectators have expressed their sympathy with Valieva, instead criticizing the adult figures she is surrounded by, who failed to protect and responsibly guide a child, especially on the international stage. Her age has also created an upset regarding youth and competitions, with spectators believing such levels of stress, pressure, and physical demand are far unsuitable for mere children.

Alexandra Trusova:

Another extremely talented individual, Alexandra Trusova, similarly had spectators demanding change during her competitions. During her free skate, she became “the first female to land each of the quad Lutz, flip and toe jumps in competition, and was also the first to land two – and then three – quads in a free skate” (Alexandra Trusova - Olympic Games Biography). While her performance was highly technical, it lacked artistry. The successful completion of these record-breaking jumps led to expectations of her winning gold, especially following Valieva’s flawed program. However, in the end, her teammate Anna Shcherbakova emerged victorious with a higher artistry score, leaving Trusova with silver.

Distraught, Trusova approached her coaches expressing her frustrations. She threatened to not go out on the podium, claiming she has never won gold in major competitions despite her performance, and even expressed the desire that she would quit the sport altogether. When interviewed, Trusova shared that she’s “been here for three weeks, alone without [her] mom, without the dogs, so [she is] crying.”

This intense scene– the loss of Valieva, the outbursts of Trusova, and the somber win of Shcherbakova– is yet another example of the extreme conditions these young girls are subjected to.

Eteri Tutberidze:

The coach of these three, as well as other groundbreaking female Russian figure skaters? Eteri Tutberidze. Time and time again, she has proven successful in producing top-of-the-line figure skaters, but these accomplishments do not come without a price. Former athletes have spoken out about Tutberidze’s unforgiving methods, who seemingly prioritizes one-time phenomenons over long-term careers. At a time when their bodies are still developing, the combination of intense practices and jumps often leads to injury; many girls under her program have reported early retirements, at times barely 20 years of age, as a result of chronic or debilitating injuries. Furthermore, it has been reported that many girls developed lasting eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, as they are heavily constrained in weight in order to successfully land multiple rotations in the air.

The pressures and strains athletes are subjected to for high-level competitions is a tale as old a time, but improvements must be made for the protection of the youth. Under no circumstances should they sacrifice their futures and livelihoods simply for a moment of fleeting success on the international stage.

Sources:

Bansinath, Bindu. “Eteri Tutberidze: Figure Skating’s Abuses in Plain Sight.” The Cut, 23 Feb. 2022, https://www.thecut.com/2022/02/eteri-tutberidze-figure-skatings-abuses-in-plain-sight.html. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.

Park, Alice. “Inside the Olympic Doping Fight Over Figure Skater Kamila Valieva’s Positive Drug Test.” Time, 10 Feb. 2022, https://time.com/6146748/kamila-valieva-drug-trimetazidine/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.

Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press. “Kamila Valieva’s Strawberry Dessert Excuse Rejected by Judges in Olympic Doping Case.” NBC New York, 7 Feb. 2024, https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/kamila-valievas-strawberry-dessert-excuse-rejected-olympic-doping-case/5114979/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.

The Associated Press. “Russian Figure Skater Kamila Valieva Disqualified in Olympic Doping Case.” NBC News, 29 Jan. 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-figure-skater-kamila-valieva-disqualified-olympic-doping-case-rcna136154. Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.

IOC. “Alexandra TRUSOVA.” Olympics.Com, https://olympics.com/en/athletes/alexandra-trusova. Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.

Dunleavy, Ryan. “Figure Skater Alexandra Trusova’s Tearful 2022 Olympic Silver Medal Outburst.” New York Post, 17 Feb. 2022, https://nypost.com/2022/02/17/alexandra-trusova-upset-after-2022-olympic-figure-skating-silver/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.

Abutaleb, Yasmeen, et al. “Her Figure Skaters Can Fly. But Do a Russian Coach’s Tactics Go Too Far?” The Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2022/02/14/eteri-tutberidze-russian-figure-skating-doping/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.