Should ISU take a stance on Yagudin's insults against other athletes?

[ladyjane]

I know, I should stop because this very honest and worrying original poster tried to put forward some serious concerns about the things one of my favourite skaters said. And he truly threatened someone I admire to be better dead. Why, why, why?

I can't help myself though in responding again. I've got many friends in the LBGT community; they have never threatened me what so ever (why should they in any case), and then we have these hurtful, discriminatory, remarks by someone I love to watch, but not love to listen to. One of my best friends has just changed sexes, and he is so much happier today then he (or she) was before. This change had nothing to do with propaganda, but everyting with how he was unhappy with his body. Is that a threat to anyone? No, no, no! That's why I love Adam's response: he's happy with himself and wants to help anyone who isn't and needs support. Sorry, probably off topic, but to me Adam reacted in the best way ever. Acknowledgeing Alexei's skating (which is superb), but not his fear towards people who are different to him. I'm going to donate to this organisation as well...

 

[snwnprv]

Firstly, you know quite well I was talking about the instagram post.

Because it showed him in better light than the one on Twitter? More "classy"?

if you read that twitter as a fantasy

It was irony, you know.

you need to brush up on your English language and English invective skills.

Oh, it's rude.

 

[el henry]

Telling someone to stick it where the moon don't shine, in more graphic terms, is a very common English language insult, at least in the US of A.

and Adam is not claiming to be classy in his language. He is responding in kind to someone who wished him dead and called him "Earth's mistake". Donating to the trans relief fund in Alexei's name (he even reprinted the receipt "in the name of Alexei Yagudin") was a master stroke. I don't know if I would call it "classy", but it was perfect

 

[Finley]

True, but there must be something more to be said. After all, the pastors could have stood up in their churches and preached brotherly love a hundred years before. But instead, they were more likely to be leading the lynch mob -- and denouncing from the pulpit the curse of Cain that the Lord placed on black people..

Something changed, but what? Even the Mormons decreed in 1978 (but not before) that the black race had now served out its curse and was forgiven by God. (Something changed. But what? Did God change his mind after all those thousands of years? Did the U.S. Army contract with U&I Sugar have anything to do with God's change of heart?)

'You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.' - Anne Lamott

 

[Scott512]

I was hoping Alexei Yagudin was a homophobe because he was extremely religious and therefore understandably rigid in his beliefs. Then I remembered he is Alexei Yagudin and nothing like a religious person at all. This makes his comments even more disappointing. What the hell is his wife also an Olympic gold medalist saying to him about these issues? She like her husband has been around homosexuals her whole career. I would hope she is more tolerant than her husband. Alexies wife Tatiana overcame one of the most horrific falls ever in pairs skating and then went on to win Olympic pairs gold in 2006. So delicate but as tough as they come and she needs to sit down with her husband and her daughters to let them know what is right and what is wrong with public comments that are negative to say the least. Yagudin acts like a tough guy at the end of the bar spewing his thoughts on anything and everything. His knowledge on figure skating is amazing and that should be what he's talkin about not this other crap.

 

[lariko]

That comment to Rippon was bloody awful.

 

[Mathman]

... Yagudin acts like a tough guy at the end of the bar .

That might be the problem right there. Yagudin always did have issues with alchohol. Twenty years ago h was kicked off the Champions on Ice tour for showing up for work drunk every day.

 

[TallyT]

Telling someone to stick it where the moon don't shine, in more graphic terms, is a very common English language insult, at least in the US of A.

Common here to, though in the good old-fashioned Anglo-Saxon version

 

[Skatesocs]

Common here to, though in the good old-fashioned Anglo-Saxon version

Google gave me no answer

 

[moonvine]

Telling someone to stick it where the moon don't shine, in more graphic terms, is a very common English language insult, at least in the US of A.

and Adam is not claiming to be classy in his language. He is responding in kind to someone who wished him dead and called him "Earth's mistake". Donating to the trans relief fund in Alexei's name (he even reprinted the receipt "in the name of Alexei Yagudin") was a master stroke. I don't know if I would call it "classy", but it was perfect

Adam is a national treasure

 

[Sofia]

Well this thread is a dumpster fire.

All the ISU can really do is take a stance on supporting all athletes and denouncing discrimination. The only one with power over the situation is the station he works for and as long as they don't care nothing will happen. That said I personally have no respect for him and find the things he says appalling. If you have to talk so negatively about other people that says more about you than that person.

If the ISU just posts a statement, I don't know if it would have actual deterring effects on the offender. It would look more like a disclaimer to avoid accusations of inaction because there really isn't much they can do.

It's difficult to find an ISU Rule or Regulation that could justify sanctions on Yagudin. The reason why he may still be in the sphere of the ISU's impact is Channel One. Without this connection he wouldn't be that different from you and I: he could say anything about LGBTQ in skating that pleases himself, and the ISU would have no way to shut his mouth unless he dragged ISU into this mess. Also, what he says/does on Instagram is under the terms and regulations of Instagram. These can decide whether he can sit there comfortably sending death wishes.

If someone wants him to feel the warning and mind his future conducts, bypassing these directly relevant parties would not be very useful.

And now we can see the offended side isn't so meek and helpless. If they start to seek support/revenge a little harder they can have more than enough without ISU support.

They are socially functional adults. They are able to settle this spat between themselves. If the conflict escalates exponentially, then perhaps ISU should come forward as a mediator. In that case I hope they try to do more than a feeble statement.

 

[Skatesocs]

I was hoping Alexei Yagudin was a homophobe because he was extremely religious and therefore understandably rigid in his beliefs. Then I remembered he is Alexei Yagudin and nothing like a religious person at all. This makes his comments even more disappointing. What the hell is his wife also an Olympic gold medalist saying to him about these issues? She like her husband has been around homosexuals her whole career. I would hope she is more tolerant than her husband. Alexies wife Tatiana overcame one of the most horrific falls ever in pairs skating and then went on to win Olympic pairs gold in 2006. So delicate but as tough as they come and she needs to sit down with her husband and her daughters to let them know what is right and what is wrong with public comments that are negative to say the least. Yagudin acts like a tough guy at the end of the bar spewing his thoughts on anything and everything. His knowledge on figure skating is amazing and that should be what he's talkin about not this other crap.

But it doesn't matter if Yagudin himself is homophobic because of his personal stance on religion. In this case, it matters more about where the homophobia in Russia comes from, and where the anti gay propaganda stems from in the country. To that, I believe the answer *is* religion.

A thing I read on another site is that he used to date men? Maybe the anti gay propaganda is eating away at him.

 

[AshWagsFan]

But it doesn't matter if Yagudin himself is homophobic because of his personal stance on religion. In this case, it matters more about where the homophobia in Russia comes from, and where the anti gay propaganda stems from in the country. To that, I believe the answer *is* religion.

A thing I read on another site is that he used to date men? Maybe the anti gay propaganda is eating away at him.

Whether he is religious or not, these comments Are simply unacceptable. I’m a religious person, yet I love and respect everyone for who they are! We must hold people accountable for their actions/statements, and we must all try to move on from this. There’s not much ISU can do except restate that they are accepting of everyone in the LGBTQ+ community.

 

[Moaray]

Would you still expect ISU to say something for LGBT+ people while they didn't say anything against sexual abuses from some of the top coaches and athletes a few months ago? This organisation is sick as hell.

 

[Pantsu]

So, what do we have now. Shoving things up person's ass is perfectly acceptable image for the ISU, eh? People are applauding
By the way, not just things, but actually Olympic gold medal

 

[Skatesocs]

*mute*

 

[TallyT]

So, what do we have now. Shoving things up person's ass is perfectly acceptable image for the ISU, eh? People are applauding
By the way, not just things, but actually Olympic gold medal

Please see my and el henry's reply to snwnprv, regarding understanding the English language.

 

[Tolstoj]

So, what do we have now. Shoving things up person's ass is perfectly acceptable image for the ISU, eh? People are applauding
By the way, not just things, but actually Olympic gold medal

I'm sorry but what did you expect from Adam after receiving death wish and insult not only for him but for the entire LGBTQ+ community?

Would you still expect ISU to say something for LGBTQ+ people while they didn't say anything against sexual abuses from some of the top coaches and athletes a few months ago? This organisation is sick as hell.

Yeah it is disappointing to see them ignoring such glaring issues cause like Adam said it's not new in Figure Skating, and unfortunately some people inside this sport often prefer to look the other way, and it's not just for this but even in regards to BLM movement, i'd have been much appreciated a statement from ISU in support of all communities, hopefully they will say something about all of this at some point.

 

[TallyT]

There are quite a few big name skaters from the west still following Yagudin on instagram... shows how much the entrenched fraternity cares unless they are forced to appear to do so.

 

[Skatesocs]

Common here to, though in the good old-fashioned Anglo-Saxon version

Ohh, did you mean "put that in your pipe and smoke it"? I prefer that one!