2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Amei]

I think the reason why one can assume Russian Skaters are not widely doping is because figure skating isn't exactly a sport where EPO and the likes would make that much of a difference compared to the risk of getting caught.
Sure you also need stamina to get through the program, but technique to develop and land jumps, performing under pressure, PCS, interpretation, that can't be "doped".
If it could I'm convinced the same percentage of girls would be fed doping drugs as they are being fed in track&field, swimming, cycling etc

well wasn't there a bit of mess with meldonium being popular among Russian/Eastern European skaters whenever it was added to the banned substance list? Bobrova was initially suspended due to a positive test showing up after the drug was added to the banned substance list, the suspension was eventually waived due to there being questions about how long the drug stayed in a person's system after they stopped taking it.

Any way the point of initial post wasn't to imply that figure skating was or is a widely dirty sport in terms of doping, but just to point out that it's had its own issues with doping in reaction to a comment about figure skating being smeared due to other sports doping that's led to Russia being banned at the Olympics and major sporting events.

 

[Arbitrary]

well wasn't there a bit of mess with meldonium being popular among Russian/Eastern European skaters whenever it was added to the banned substance list? Bobrova was initially suspended due to a positive test showing up after the drug was added to the banned substance list, the suspension was eventually waived due to there being questions about how long the drug stayed in a person's system after they stopped taking it.

Any way the point of initial post wasn't to imply that figure skating was or is a widely dirty sport in terms of doping, but just to point out that it's had its own issues with doping in reaction to a comment about figure skating being smeared due to other sports doping that's led to Russia being banned at the Olympics and major sporting events.

"Meldonium" [Meldronate] is Russian product, equivalent of the same kind like different substances produced elsewhere. Stabilizes the heart rhythm under heavy loads.
What was the reason for the ban is the idea of Meldonum being a much cheaper drug than others. Marketing...

 

[kolyadafan2002]

I asked my Soviet coach today if he thinks Russian figure skaters took drugs at some point.

He burst out laughing and saying "of course, in Russia they always have something that helps!" I asked him what it could be he said "Thing to balance energy even if they don't eat, thing to speed up muscle recovery, and other things which will help them in training."

I asked him if all the skaters took it, and he replied "of course not. Im sure many are clean, but there is a reason Russia is banned from the Olympics."

 

[FelineFairy]

I asked my Soviet coach today if he thinks Russian figure skaters took drugs at some point.

He burst out laughing and saying "of course, in Russia they always have something that helps!" I asked him what it could be he said "Thing to balance energy even if they don't eat, thing to speed up muscle recovery, and other things which will help them in training."

I asked him if all the skaters took it, and he replied "of course not. Im sure many are clean, but there is a reason Russia is banned from the Olympics."

Well. Even if all that is OT and might disappear from the thread, still I'd like to change some accents. Everyone in professional sports takes "something that helps" - vitamins, proteins for instance. The difference lies within the borders of what is allowed. It is a bit like armaments, shells and armour, first shells get more powerful, then armour to counteract is invented. Pharmaceutical industry produces more and more drugs, some of which are performance enhancing. In some countries pharmaceutical science and industry are very well developed and always innovative. Research proving that some new "vitamin" is performance enhancing happens always much later than the drug is invented, and it takes time for it to be banned. Russia's pharmaceutics is in this respect underdeveloped and has a bad habit of using drugs which are already compromised and banned. In general, drugs like EPO and hormones are harmful and it is IMHO criminal to use them in sports. I hope that habit will be eradicated. However, banning meldonium, a cardiovascular protector, and not banning its equivalents is questionable. In my friend's veterinary practice I have witnessed many times how meldonium (not alone, of course) saved cats and dogs in life-threatening conditions.

 

[nussnacker]

Another one who accepted the challenge from Anna

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ3y4p-pSxw/

+1 to Anna’s dance challenge!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ3UsRtqGc4/

 

[silveruskate]

"Meldonium" [Meldronate] is Russian product, equivalent of the same kind like different substances produced elsewhere. Stabilizes the heart rhythm under heavy loads.
What was the reason for the ban is the idea of Meldonum being a much cheaper drug than others. Marketing...

Read the Sharapova case of taking extra doses before "important matches". That will tell you all you need to know. Such a squeaky clean product I'm sure.

 

[Tyranid]

Is aint track-and-field it's figure skating. FS is the cleanest possible sport that Russia has. I bet it's even cleaner than Chess!

If they can't have it in Russia then by all means have it in Minsk or Tallin or Kievan Rus (Kiev). But for God sake somebody come up with a plan B because the Olympics are a mere 13 months away.

We all like FS here, but can you say for sure that its russia's cleanest sport? I remember well how Yuri Larionov (Vera Bazarova's partner) was caught and suspended for doping. Then there was that that case with Stolbova and Bukin before Peongchang...

Just trying to be objective here.

Also, the fate of the WC will be known after the ISU summit at the end of January. So we just have to wait for two weeks and not panic.

 

[flanker]

We all like FS here, but can you say for sure that its russia's cleanest sport? I remember well how Yuri Larionov (Vera Bazarova's partner) was caught and suspended for doping. Then there was that that case with Stolbova and Bukin before Peongchang...

Just trying to be objective here.

Also, the fate of the WC will be known after the ISU summit at the end of January. So we just have to wait for two weeks and not panic.

Speaking of objectivity, there was never an accusation that Stolbova or Bukin were doping and the true nature of why they weren't "invited" to Peyongchang was never properly explained. With Stolbova it was said she once wasn't at home when the controllers came to her to test but she was submitted to many tests before and after this incident and all clean. With Bukin there wasn't even such "story". I'm not saying there weren't cases of doping in russian figure skating but those two cases shouldn't be given as examples IMO.

 

[Tyranid]

Speaking of objectivity, there was never an accusation that Stolbova or Bukin were doping and the true nature of why they weren't "invited" to Peyongchang was never properly explained. With Stolbova it was said she once wasn't at home when the controllers came to her to test but she was submitted to many tests before and after this incident and all clean. With Bukin there wasn't even such "story". I'm not saying there weren't cases of doping in russian figure skating but those two cases shouldn't be given as examples IMO.

Yeah, I guess the Stolbova and Bukin situations aren't the best examples I brought up. The Larionov story is legit though.

Btw, what is that Sherbakova dance challenge thing. Could you give me links plz?

EDIT: nevermind, found it on IG

 

[Mathman]

+1 to Anna’s dance challenge!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ3UsRtqGc4/

Anna's still got him, though -- bigger movements.

 

[Arbitrary]

Read the Sharapova case of taking extra doses before "important matches". That will tell you all you need to know. Such a squeaky clean product I'm sure.

I never said it's a clean product.
But it became doping right after the Rodchenkov's affair.
Same class drugs of non-Russian origine are perfectly acceptable.

My very own opinion for doping is it became a problem when prices decreased. Not only the major sport powers were using it for medals, but even very modest federations used to feed their sportsmen with that cheap chemistry. And tbe majors began to loose medals.
1980-84 were tge decisive years to enfirce WADA authority and only very sofisticated and most secretive drugs now on your service.
Poor ones still has to take risj be caught with EPO or another historical substance.

 

[silveruskate]

I never said it's a clean product.
But it became doping right after the Rodchenkov's affair.
Same class drugs of non-Russian origine are perfectly acceptable.

My very own opinion for doping is it became a problem when prices decreased. Not only the major sport powers were using it for medals, but even very modest federations used to feed their sportsmen with that cheap chemistry. And tbe majors began to loose medals.
1980-84 were tge decisive years to enfirce WADA authority and only very sofisticated and most secretive drugs now on your service.
Poor ones still has to take risj be caught with EPO or another historical substance.

I'm not going to say it's wrong what you're saying, but you mention these same class perfectly acceptable drugs without specifying at all which they are. My point is you acting as though it is just for regular cardiovascular health. That clearly is NOT the case when an athlete takes extra doses before important matches. What is reported is that it helps with concentration and endurance, in addition to an unfair training advantage as it results in easier recovery from training, allowing you to take on a greater load.

I have nothing against drugs like these myself if they were legal. If they're cheap with zero severe side-effects - accessible to everyone - I don't understand why every athlete shouldn't be taking them to protect their bodies. We all want our athletes to have the longest careers possible, with as little repercussions on their body in later life as possible from participating in these gruelling sports.

 

[Scott512]

We all like FS here, but can you say for sure that its russia's cleanest sport? I remember well how Yuri Larionov (Vera Bazarova's partner) was caught and suspended for doping. Then there was that that case with Stolbova and Bukin before Peongchang...

Just trying to be objective here.

Also, the fate of the WC will be known after the ISU summit at the end of January. So we just have to wait for two weeks and not panic.

I said it for sure. Whether it's true or not it is an unknown. At least Russian single skaters have had no issues of PED or failing drug tests. )

If they can't have senior worlds in Russia maybe they can have junior worlds in Russia

 

[TripleAxelQueens3]

Has there been any videos of Adelya Petrosyan doing quads? Because if not then I had the most detailed dream about that and Akatieva and Muravyeva's JGP debut somehow.

 

[Novalis]

Has there been any videos of Adelya Petrosyan doing quads? Because if not then I had the most detailed dream about that and Akatieva and Muravyeva's JGP debut somehow.

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I remembered her doing quad toes. This is what I found

Interesting to see if she uses it at Junior Nationals

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Has there been any videos of Adelya Petrosyan doing quads? Because if not then I had the most detailed dream about that and Akatieva and Muravyeva's JGP debut somehow.

I hope your dream becomes a reality this year! I miss JGP and these girls deserve a chance to shine there

Side note, can't believe I've just sought refuge in the Russian Ladies thread after running away from toxicity in a thread about Canadian pairs

 

[Novalis]

I hope your dream becomes a reality this year! I miss JGP and these girls deserve a chance to shine there

Side note, can't believe I've just sought refuge in the Russian Ladies thread after running away from toxicity in a thread about Canadian pairs

Maybe our usual toxicity in here escaped to that one Plushenko thread

 

[Tonight's the Night]

Well, then, this could be my opportunity to ask a possibly frivolous question. I have the impression that I don't see as many Russian ladies spinning/jumping clockwise. Is this just a mistaken impression, or is there really a nonarbitrarily different frequency? Is it a recent phenomenon? I feel like I have watched a lot of Russian ladies skate over the past year and I can't remember any spinning clockwise. I am happy to be the recipient of a quick and decisive learning moment here...

 

[Mawwerg]

I hope your dream becomes a reality this year! I miss JGP and these girls deserve a chance to shine there

Side note, can't believe I've just sought refuge in the Russian Ladies thread after running away from toxicity in a thread about Canadian pairs

I've never seen it. Please, show the path, I should visit it.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Maybe our usual toxicity in here escaped to that one Plushenko thread

Oh I'm not really bothered by Russian coach drama anymore, it's sort of inevitable But in pairs and dance (and more so when non-Russian) it's not so usual to find gaslighting and shade throwing, so when it does happen I want to run away and hide...

Well, then, this could be my opportunity to ask a possibly frivolous question. I have the impression that I don't see as many Russian ladies spinning/jumping clockwise. Is this just a mistaken impression, or is there really a nonarbitrarily different frequency? Is it a recent phenomenon? I feel like I have watched a lot of Russian ladies skate over the past year and I can't remember any spinning clockwise. I am happy to be the recipient of a quick and decisive learning moment here...

I don't think it's an exclusively Russian phenomenon, as it's also quite uncommon to be CW in Japan too. It seems to depend on the coach's views and training convenience. If you have busy group training sessions and jump the other way it's a bit dangerous/difficult, and some coaches find it hard to teach CW if they themselves are ACW. My previous rink in the UK had maybe 20-25% CW skaters (rather high), but also happened to have many CW coaches. My CW coach could teach me ACW but had to demonstrate his own way.