Plushenko seeks amateur status in Olympics bid | Golden Skate

Plushenko seeks amateur status in Olympics bid

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
http://www.universalsports.com/news...18.html#plushenko+seeks+regain+amateur+status

MOSCOW (AP) - Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko is seeking to regain his amateur status, which could allow him to compete in the 2014 Sochi Olympics in his home country.

Russian Figure Skating Federation president Alexander Gorshkov said Thursday that the 2006 Olympic champion sent a letter seeking the restoration of his amateur status.

Gorshkov said at a news conference that the federation gave preliminary approval, with a final decision expected in June. If approved, the federation would send it to the International Skating Union.

The ISU stripped Plushenko of eligibility last year after he appeared in exhibitions without permission.
 
Last edited:

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
He has a lot of fans and they are so devout they hang up giant banners of him at competitions he is not at so he's good for skating.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
The ISU will be between a rock and a hard place. If they allow Plushenko to be reinstated then they lose some of the muscle behind their rule. If they make an exception this time it will be assumed they will make them in the future. So skaters, do whatever, after a time out youll be back in the game.

However, since it was the Russian Federation who iniated the ban in the first place, and are now considering revoking it, it won't go over well if the ISU ignores their wishes (especially after Russia came to the rescue for worlds).

Is there a right answer?
 

ILoveFigures

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 3, 2011
(especially after Russia came to the rescue for worlds).

It's not like Russia was the only one willing to rescue Worlds. There were 6 candidates that applied to relocate the championships. Those were Vancouver, Colorado Spings/Lake Placid, Moscow, Zagreb, Turku and Graz.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
It's not like Russia was the only one willing to rescue Worlds. There were 6 candidates that applied to relocate the championships. Those were Vancouver, Colorado Spings/Lake Placid, Moscow, Zagreb, Turku and Graz.

true, but something put them over the top. All I'm saying is it's going to be some fancy dancing on the ISU's part either way to make sure everyone comes away satisfied (not counting the skater should they tell him no)
 

ILoveFigures

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 3, 2011
true, but something put them over the top. All I'm saying is it's going to be some fancy dancing on the ISU's part either way to make sure everyone comes away satisfied (not counting the skater should they tell him no)

IMO, if the ISU wants credibility they should stick with their original desition. I have nothing against Plushenko, BUT, he has violated the ISU rules and therefore has to pay the consequences.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I don't think it will be a problem. As I recall, the original infraction was more a squabble between Plushenko and the Russian federation than with the ISU. IIRC Plushenko's offense was that he skated in some shows without the permission of the Russian federation.

If Plushenko makes it up with Piseev, I don't think the ISU will have any difficulty with it.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Why now but not within the legal appeal period? What if it is seen as Plushenko taking a vacation whenever he wants and be reinstated whenever he wants? Is there a new motivator to compete at Sochi, something that gives him confidence to medal? I don't see his chances getting better 4 years from his last foray.

Plushenko could have helped Russia last year but he didn't. Russia needs to nurture their Men for the future instead of depending on one who is over his prime with a damaged body. Plushenko certainly doesn't make things easy for ISU or the Russian Fed. Give him a Platinum Life Time Achievement Medal, a statue on a square in Moscow, and a political post already.
 

babayaga

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 27, 2010
It was my understanding that he can apply for reinstatement also within the rules. There is no need to "make an exception", there are rules that say he is eligible for reinstatement if his federation applies and they were planning to use this option from the beginning.
And, if I remember correctly, they planned to start the application process around this time and it was discussed in many different interviews long before the quake.
 

babayaga

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 27, 2010
Why now but not within the legal appeal period? What if it is seen as Plushenko taking a vacation whenever he wants and be reinstated whenever he wants? Is there a new motivator to compete at Sochi, something that gives him confidence to medal? I don't see his chances getting better 4 years from his last foray.

Plushenko could have helped Russia last year but he didn't. Russia needs to nurture their Men for the future instead of depending on one who is over his prime with a damaged body. Plushenko certainly doesn't make things easy for ISU or the Russian Fed. Give him a Platinum Life Time Achievement Medal, a statue on a square in Moscow, and a political post already.

Because I think appeal and reinstatement are different things. Appeal means you disagree with the decision and he didn't, reinstatement means you agree that you violated the rules, you took the punishment, and now are asking to be eligible again. Certain violations are not reinstatement eligible, but his is. At least that's how I understand things.
 

wallylutz

Medalist
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
It's not like Russia was the only one willing to rescue Worlds. There were 6 candidates that applied to relocate the championships. Those were Vancouver, Colorado Spings/Lake Placid, Moscow, Zagreb, Turku and Graz.

Haha, but no one but Russia offered to pay for ALL the expenses of the event and have their de facto Head of the State giving assurance before the ISU Council vote and call Speedy personally after Russia was awarded the spot.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Some of these skaters when they perform in shows, make a lot of money. I'm not sure what is meant by amateur? Back in the days of Button, if a competitive skater even gave out rental skates at a rink, he would be considered Pro. I really do no know if there is any difference between competitive; amateur; and professional??? Can anyone explain the three classes?

Personally, I have no problem with Evgeni skating competitively in Sochi.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Some of these skaters when they perform in shows, make a lot of money. I'm not sure what is meant by amateur? Back in the days of Button, if a competitive skater even gave out rental skates at a rink, he would be considered Pro. I really do no know if there is any difference between competitive; amateur; and professional??? Can anyone explain the three classes?

Personally, I have no problem with Evgeni skating competitively in Sochi.

"competitive" is the replacement term for "amateur". the difference between "competitive/amateur" and "professional" is olympic eligibility, nothing more (well, that and the pros don't answer to the ISU)
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
I say good for him as long as everything is legal without causing problems, now or down the road, for the organizations and other skaters. Whoever does the best on the day wins. ISU has only set minimum age but not maximum. There is also no rule to exclude bionic men. :cool:
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
"competitive" is the replacement term for "amateur". the difference between "competitive/amateur" and "professional" is olympic eligibility, nothing more (well, that and the pros don't answer to the ISU)
And it has nothing to do with Money?? As for the Olympics, so many of the athletes earn money. There should be 2 classes of athletes as either competitive or professional. The OIC and the ISU should agree on their terms of reference. Anyway, looking to see Plushy again.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I am pretty sure that the International Olympic Committee officially did away with the distinction between amateur and professional just in time for the 1992 games in Barcelona. This allowed the "Dream Team" to compete -- the U.S. basketball team featuring NBA players Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. (The U.S. had gotten tired of their college boys being beaten by "students," "soldiers," etc., from Soviet bloc countries.)

Now I think the rule is that each international sports body sets the rules for Olympic eligibility for its own sport. I believe that boxing is the only Olympic sport that still has "amateurs" and "professionals." (And even "amateurs" can earn money.)

In the case of figure skating, you can make as much mney as you want, but can compete only in ISU sanctioned events. For instance, you can't compete in pro-am cheesefest competitions unless the organizer of the event agrees to use ISU scoring rules and slips the ISU a little something under the table.

Also, you can't play sick and then skate in shows when you are supposed to be skating in ISU events like the Grand Prix and the World Championships. (It's OK, though, if you miraculously get well the day after the ISU event and skate in a show.)
 
Last edited:

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
And it has nothing to do with Money?? As for the Olympics, so many of the athletes earn money. There should be 2 classes of athletes as either competitive or professional. The OIC and the ISU should agree on their terms of reference. Anyway, looking to see Plushy again.

It hasn't been a distinction of money since 1994 when professional skaters like Boitano and G&G and Witt all came back to skate in Lillehammer. "Professional" is the term used for the retired from competition/tour skaters. Their "profession" is not sport but entertainment. The "competitive/amateur" skaters make money on sponsors and winnings and only "tour" in the off season. It's been this way for over two decades now (Kurt Browning fought his federation way back when in the 80s to be allowed to receive sponsorship money and keep it in a trust fund. Other skaters followed suit. He probably wasn't the first amateur to find that loophole, but he's the only one I know about to reference lol).
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Nowadays even very young "eligible" skaters can make money while competing. Remember that when Kimmie Meissner became a surprise world champion, she got a few lucrative ad campaigns, including Subway sandwiches. Michelle Kwan earned quite a bit during her long career, which is doubtless why she was able to have such a long career.

I think the champion of all time is probably YuNa, who went directly from abject poverty to unimaginable riches, thanks to media superstardom in Korea in ads for almost every product line manufactured in the country, plus a singing/music video career. Mao Asada is likewise a queen of all media in Japan. In my opinion, it couldn't happen to two nicer ladies; more power to them! It doesn't seem to affect their skating in any bad way, and their nationwide appeal surely increases the ranks of skating fans. If only we had a Mao or a YuNa over here in the U.S.!
 
Top