Klimkin Interview on FSU for Joe

Thanks Soogar. I appreciate the thought but unfortunately, I am not a member of FSU and connot enter its domain.

I hope all is well with Ilia. there's nobody like him.

Joe

Well to paraphrase:
He didn't have the surgery yet b/c his bloodwork won't allow for it. The article doesn't sound too optimistic for him and in the interview he sounds quite soured on skating. Basically he's looking for steady employment and he prefers to skate in shows rather than compete.

Also the Russian federation will only cover his medical expenses if he uses their center. They're don't have the technology for arthroscopic surgery which would help him recover faster so it's going to be done the old way. In the interview he said that they ignored his troubles when he was complaining that his foot hurt and he had to pay his medical expenses out of pocket. Now that there are no other serious Russian contenders, the federation is willing to help him get medical treatment. He was asked why he toured and postponed the surgery and he said that he needed the money and he was going to lose the season anyway and he had no idea when he could perform again so he chose to do the shows.

This was a translation.

My thoughts are that I think he's going to wind like Urmanov. I hope for the best for him though but his competitive future looks really bleak.

How sad for him (and me too). I think it would be opportune now for some sponsor to come up with a "Figure Skaters' Emergency Fund' such as the Muscians have. It's an idea that needs a lot of work but it would help so many skaters who suffer not only the loss of their sport but maybe their livelihood.

Joe