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Gladiator Gone GlobalAlexei Yagudin April 8, 2007 Kathleen: You were gone for almost seven years. What was your level of popularity when you moved home to Russia? Alexei: Even when I lived in the US I was always recognized out on the street during visits to Russia. But you can be a ten-time Olympic champion and if you're not there – not living in the country you represent – they will start to forget you. After moving back, and especially after doing some television shows, I was really pleased to see that people still remembered me. Of course, after doing the skating with celebrities-type TV show we call "Stars On Ice", the ratings were so high that I became even more recognizable – we all did. It helped all of the skaters. I never went back to have greater fame, in fact, I didn't plan to move at all. I simply went home for a vacation. Kathleen: And after three days decided to make it permanent? Alexei: Yes. And I'm not one-hundred percent sure why. Maybe because for so many years I was under the control of the Federation, or my coach, or just other people's power and then later on I eventually became more independent. When I went to visit my family on that trip to St. Petersburg I knew I just didn't want to leave. When I moved back to Russia, I was shocked by the beauty of Russian women. It sounds a little weird because I grew up there so why did it happen so suddenly. But before that I didn't really look. It was just ice rink – coach – mother – sleep – practice – practice – practice. That was my life and I couldn't enjoy what was around me. I didn't care and I didn't have time. But then I adapted to a new lifestyle, and my life became so wide open. And when I returned, I finally appreciated the beauty of my own country, and the humor, the culture, and the mentality. It was as if my eyes saw the Russia for the first time. It's also funny that I used to fight with Anton Sikharulidze on the US tour. Not with our fists but with words. He would accuse me of being unpatriotic, and we'd argue and really upset each other. Anton would get angry and tell me that I had to move back to Russia, that it was practically my duty. I would tell him no, that I was happy in the United States. Strange that in the end I became good friends with him, and now I'm back there.
It just really excites me when I'm in Russia because I never know what's going to happen tomorrow. There is always some changes, some "unexpectable" thing. It's the lifestyle of Russian people and how they think. Our people are really smart. I still believe that even if not the most educated in the world, they are among the most intelligent. It's how we are. I like how Russian people think. We have so much capability in our country, but the Russian person will never do anything until the last minute – until the rooster pecks you in ass – then we'll get moving. The mentality used to be "tomorrow may never come". It's how we lived. The big majority of people in Russia still do not live as well as the middle class of America, but things are changing. Kathleen: Last summer you told me that by this summer you would be married. I don't hear any wedding bells. Alexei: There are so many interesting new people to meet, you never who and when it is going to hit you. I don't feel the need to be married right now. On and off, I'm always dating someone. I'm still amazed by all of the beauty (laughs) in the world. Kathleen: I'll bet you are. Alexei: Well, I do enjoy my little intrigues. Kathleen: Recently you said that when you finally marry, you would prefer your partner also be Russian. Alexei: There is maybe one chance in a thousand that I would date seriously an international girl and consider marrying a foreigner, but she would at least have to speak Russian. Kathleen: Why has that become so important to you? Alexei: It's still my native language. It's the way I can best communicate my feelings and thoughts. I used to say that when I landed at the Hartford (Connecticut) airport that I felt at home. Yes, it was nice but who were the people around me? Russians. I felt at home in Connecticut because I was still surrounded by a Russian community - my coach, my agent, and the Russian family I lived with. Skating was my life then. Kathleen: How do you feel about the state of Russian eligible figure skating at this point in time? Alexei: It used to really bother me dealing with the Russian Skating Federation. Kathleen: It sounds like coaching was not your thing. Any plans to coach in the future, and how much longer will you skate in tours? Alexei: I don't want to coach, definitely not. I will continue to perform with the Stars on Ice tour for at least two years and possibly do shows for another four or five years, but I definitely do not want to coach. I used to think I wanted to organize and run my own tour, but now I realize I'd rather be on someone else's tour than operate it myself. I can't say the absolute last year I will skate for the public, but I know that I don't want to be significantly older and still performing in shows. Of course anything can happen, but I just can't picture myself well into my thirties and still doing tours. Kathleen: What other opportunities appeal to you? Alexei: I did a lot of business plans on many different possible ventures. Right now with my limo business things are going quite well, and I plan on making it bigger. The first summer I returned home, in 2005, I spent a lot of time just adjusting and looking around to see what might work. Initially I was excited to open a night club, but the more information I got I decided not to. As far as a restaurant goes, that's still something for the future but I don't want to open a bistro, I want an upscale restaurant. But to run one you really have to be there, and that's not something I can commit to yet. |
