Plushenko statement following Worlds | Golden Skate

Plushenko statement following Worlds

Ptichka

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Jul 28, 2003
Original

How to bite the dog​
After the end of the the World Championships, Evgny Plushenko adresses all figure skating fans through "MK".

Evgeny Plushenko, having withdrawn from the figure skating world championship due to injury, left Moscow only yesterday.

Through he didn't give any interviews before, the skater asked the "MK" journalist Irina STEPANTSEVA to pass his words onto
all fans.

"I tried very hard. I fought. I fought for the three spots for Russia at the Olympic gaves. However, poor shape, only two weeks of training, and a heavy injury prevented me from helping out our team. The CITO doctors who looked at me said: tear of a groin joint. Curing it will take a few weeks, followed by a rehabilitation period.

I know not everyone agreed with my decision to withdraw. Some said it didn't matter what placement I'd get; that even with a second or a third I'd become a national hero. However, I do not accent such an approach. I cannot fight half-heartedly, and I don't want any undeserved praise.

I have tried, and I will try in the future. Please forgive me for not demonstrating in Moscow that which all figure skating fans expected.

Your Evgeny Plushenko".


Evgeny now has a short rest, followed my curing the injury. He'll skip the Collins tour to have time to prepare for the Olympic games. In Moscow we saw what a high level tournament is without Zhenya. It's not just that among the medalist, with the exception of the first place, the skaters were there because of circumstances as much as their skating; it's also that Plushenko today sets the tone for the whole competition. He determines the type of the fight.

During the championships, your correspondent deliberately did not raise the question of whether or not Zhenya should have taken the ice at all, how serious the injury was, and whether or not this whole season was planned well. Only specialists can weigh in on that. here is what a famour coach Valentin NIKOLAEV says:

"It's a very sensitive issue. Each coach and each athlete decide their fate differently. There is the country status, the desire for a fight, but there are also other components. Something made Zhenya fight. I don't think it was any pressure from above regarding the prestige of the country. That's impossible, as Mishin's highest professionalism would not allow an injured student to take the ice. I think it was just his stubborness in a fight, his unwillingness to quit.

As to what Plushenko means for figure skating today - look at what the championship looked like without the leader. Everone except Stephane Lambiel had been on their backs. That's because they are used to "biting" a dog ahead of them. Without the leader, they pack got lost. It's easy to bite, but it's immensely difficult to take his place. Everyone got used to being behind Plushenko: if he stumbles, we'll pass him. Noone passed him outright. I think once Zhenya cures his injury, everything will return to its rightful place".

"MK" can only join in the sentiment.

Moscow Komsomolets
03/22/2005
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Thanks Pitchka for the MK piece. It was a gloomy announcement at Worlds. I think everyone in the stands felt the emptiness. If you read anything further on his condition, please let us know. It won't be an Oly without him.

Joe
 

mzheng

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Jan 16, 2005
It was knee injury after 2002. Since when he developed the groin injury? How long dose it take to cure. Looks he is in a physically disadvantage position then Lambial heading into Turino.
 

Vash01

Medalist
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Jul 31, 2003
I have to disagree that first place (Lambiel) skated well. He did, in QR and SP when Plushenko was skating. See what happened to him (and the rest of the field) after Plushenko withdrew. Lambiel singled TWO of his triple jumps and finished 10 seconds after his music stopped (was there a time deduction?). That is hardly a top notch performance (even with 2 quads). Jeff Buttle fell twice on jumps (how did he place ahead of Johnny Weir?). Only Weir skated a decent LP. His fall was not on a jump; he just tripped and fell.

A groin injury is very serious. Urmanov never fully recovered from his.Elvis lost he ability to consistently land the quad after his. Plushenko's situation is not good at all. I am glad to hear he will not tour with COI, but does that mean he will rest? I hope he will give his injury as much time as it needs to heal.

Vash
 

Ximena

Final Flight
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Jul 26, 2003
I do think he is going to rest and get treated (I don't know if he will get surgery but he will get treated) because besides skipping COI, he has already declined the invitations to take place in the Prince Ice shows in Japan during the month of may.
 

soogar

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Dec 18, 2003
I hope he gets treated in the states. In Brennan's book, supposedly it was the archaic Russian treatment that Urmanov endured for his groin injury that did him in and not the actual injury itself.
 

Ximena

Final Flight
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Jul 26, 2003
According to the last article I read, Plush wants to be treated in Saint Petersburg, however they are going abroad for other's doctors opinions. Ari (Plush's agent) have mentioned at least twice Switzerland and Germany.
 

mzheng

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Jan 16, 2005
soogar said:
I hope he gets treated in the states. In Brennan's book, supposedly it was the archaic Russian treatment that Urmanov endured for his groin injury that did him in and not the actual injury itself.
I'd say he stay in Russian and get treated there. For
1) for the same level of medical cares I believe US is far more expensive than Russia.
2) In Russian even now without the Soviet Union, I'd believe more or less they'd still treat ppl based on their previliged status, at Plushy's case they'd pull in the top notch doctors for him at the cost of federation.
3) Languge, while he has no problem conducting the conversation in English in daily life, he'd have trouble in medical jargon I'd imagine.

These are from my personal experience. JMO.
 

Ptichka

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Jul 28, 2003
Mzheng, I don't fully agree with you. There are simply procedures that are not done in Russia. For instance, it has been in the press that had Klimkin had his surgery in the West, it could have healed in half the time. Unfortunately, the Russian FS federation would only pay for it in Russia, not in the West.

As to language - there are plenty of medical interpreters in each hospital. If anything, he can hire one. As far as language is concerned, my grandparents do fine when they are in a hospital, and their English is far inferior in Plushy's.

I think he should find out exactly what he'd get in Russia and compare it with what he'd get in the West. If it's comparable, then she should have it in Russia. Otherwise, go West young man!
 

Kwanford Wife

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Dec 29, 2004
I always liked Plushy... Now I have a new found respect for him... This article was excellent, particularily the part about how the other men skated without him there... I believe this is true, espcially in the case of Brian J... He always seems more focused when competing agains Plushy...

Western medicine is superior to the Russian system ~ but the mental piece might be easier to manage on home turf... Whatever he does, I hope he's at the Games... Its never the same without that arrogant puss of his! ;)

KW
 

mzheng

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Jan 16, 2005
Kwanford Wife said:
Whatever he does, I hope he's at the Games... Its never the same without that arrogant puss of his! ;)

KW

Yeah. Thats so true.

May be because there is no perticula male skater out there I perticula like after Yagudin gone. Though I don't perticula like Plushy's skating style, but through the years he won my respect. And I thought he has the right to be a little arrogant after Yagudin gone. lol.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I am concerned for Evgeni. I want him to skate the Olympics. He has worked so hard for that competition. BUT, I do not know what is wrong with him

Is it his groin problem? Is it his back problem? Is it his knees?

One can not skate with a groin problems like Randy Gardner had. This is not an uncommon disabling condition especially among men. But even without medical attention, the problem goes away within a few weeks. It's just needed rest until the swelling goes down.

I don't know that much about back problems, but I am sure some of them are very serious (think NNN), Others are a strain and like the groin the back needs rest until the spasm is untangled.

A 'trick' knee is serious. If it's tendons, ligaments or cartiledge, it needs medical attention. If rest or exercise doesn't work, surgery will be required.

In Evgeni's case, if it is in the groin (like an egg shaped lump) he has to stop skating until it goes away. If it's the back or knee, just what is it?

I think whatever it was it was unfortunate that it happened at the Worlds but he will get over it and continue practicing. Let's hope so.

Any real information on this would be most appreciated so we can stop guessing about it.

Joe
 

Ximena

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Actually Joe is the three, but the one that made him withdrawn from Worlds, I believe was the groin injury.

The knees: He had a minor problem with his left knee that went untreated but still was injured, during the season 03-04 when he was doing shows in Japan for Prince Ice shows, the toe of his blade (on practice) got caught in the ice and he fell on his right knee and that ended up with the torn meniscus in his right knee. Because of that, he put more pressure on his left knee which cause the minor untreated injury to return and now he has both knees injured, being the right one with the major injury (the torn meniscus)

The back: In this season, early one he mentioned back problems, he said he injured his sciatic nerve and on Worlds it was said that he had splinched (is that the word?) nerve in his back. Evgeni showed a lot of concern for this injury (when he mentioned early in the season) and said that that one was the one he wanted to get treated.

Groin injury: This is another he has had for several years now, IIRC back in GPF in Canada (pre-Olys) he already had this and he went to Olys with a groin injury, but I think it was what is consider level damage 1 (in the medical pages, they split the groin injuries in three levels depending how bad it is) and now he has "tear of a groin joint".

The one that he is getting treated in the groin injury, but I imagine he will have checked the back injury too. I don't think he is giving a though of his torn meniscus right now.
 

Piel

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Jul 27, 2003
Evgeny and Irina both have toured for Tom Collins' COI for several seasons. I wonder if Collins has ever offered to help either of them to obtain medical care here in the States? Especially for Irina and also with her mother's medical expenses. As grave as the situation is you would think Collins would jump in and offer to help.
 

icenine

Rinkside
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Jan 30, 2005
Ximena, I think it's "pinched nerve". But I've got to say, I've had a pinched nerve in my back before, and I think "splinched" is a much more expressive word for it.
Plush isn't my favorite skater, but I've seen how he goes at every event full throttle, and I see how hard he has worked. I would feel very sad if it all fell apart for him in the Oly season. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor... maybe he'll try that next season for a change. Hope so. I'd miss him, arrogant puss and all. :)
 

show 42

Arm Chair Skate Fan
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Jul 26, 2003
I am glad to hear that he is taking time to heal. He is a magnificent athlete and deserves another shot for the top of the podium in Turin........2
 

Ptichka

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Jul 28, 2003
Piel said:
Evgeny and Irina both have toured for Tom Collins' COI for several seasons. I wonder if Collins has ever offered to help either of them to obtain medical care here in the States? Especially for Irina and also with her mother's medical expenses. As grave as the situation is you would think Collins would jump in and offer to help.
Why? Neither Irina nor Evgeny is a full time Collins employee (if they were, Collins would have had to provide them with health insurance). As it is, they just have a contract. I don't see any obligation there.
 

Linny

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
offer vs obligated

There's a bit of difference between offering to help and being contracturally obligated.
Linny
 
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