I've been careful not to use words such as "abuse" or the like. However, I do have to say that I am a bit older than Plushenko, grew up in the Soviet Union, and have never been hit by a parent, teacher, or coach. Ever.
Well, then you are lucky! I was brought in one of the easter European countries and have been hit by my parents quite often and by teachers sometimes (rarely). Most my friends were. (In fact, I don't know anyone from my generation who was not hit by parents or teachers.) I wouldn't call it abuse because the bottom line is that it was how things were done at that time. Every society makes the norms of behaviour and a lot of things which were considered 'normal' ages ago are now considered wrong, or which were wrong before are now considered 'normal'. If you call it abuse then you would be really saying that most of people in the past (and not only in the easter European countries) were physically abused. For example, in the UK corporal punishment including the use of the cane and ruler, was abolished in state schools in 1987 and 1998 in the fee-paying schools!