Igor Shpilband fired

ice coverage · Jun 4, 2012

Seems that V/M, D/W, and the Shibutanis have a lot more maturity than Z/S.
These fine young men and women deserve a lot better than a rink full of tension and conflict between their coaches. I hope and believe that each of the six skaters can count on the support and friendship of the others to get through this upheaval. Best wishes to all of them!

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John Alastair Kerr ‏@Jkerrbear

I think the battle for the Olympic Ice dance title just got thrown wide open
6:55 AM - 4 Jun 12

Jammers · Jun 4, 2012

Wow this might be the most shocking skating news in years. :eek:

CAS · Jun 4, 2012

DianaSelene said:
If there is verbal abuse then you just leave a teacher/coach, not go lying about him being a child molester. When I was a kid, I had enough teachers who employed verbal abuse. They were terrible people but they were not fired (even though they should have been) and I didn't go complaining to the principal that the teachers tried to molest me.

I´m not personally involved in that situation so anything I add would just be gossip.

bsfan · Jun 4, 2012

Blades of Passion said:
Russia offers $$$

To V/M and D/W to fire their coach so they have an excuse to not getting gold in 2014?

Olympia · Jun 4, 2012

Jammers said:
Wow this might be the most shocking skating news in years.

It's right up there with Michelle's leaving Frank Carroll practically on the eve of the Olympics, and YuNa's split from Orser. To me the former was more upsetting because I was sure it would interfere with Michelle's pursuit of the Salt Lake City gold (which in fact it seems to have done), but the latter was far more shocking because of the bad vibes coming from it. At least with Michelle and Frank, neither ever said a bad word about the other, and indeed neither has said anything to this day.

I know that this is just skating, not world peace or anything, but it is the entire world to the people involved: it's their life's work (both the coaches and the skaters) and their livelihoods, and it's done in full view of the public. (Not like bad stuff that happens at our jobs or in our schooling situations, which thank goodness is on view to no one but us.) I don't know what the causes were and have no right to speculate on them, but I do have sympathy for them all in this debacle. I hope the skaters involved will be able to pick themselves up and resume their training. I hope the coaches will find good new situations. A miserable mess for all concerned.

Macassar88 · Jun 4, 2012

http://www.team-russia2014.ru/article/4587.html
New article

Piseev says that Russia will give Shpilband everything he could want in Russia.

Jammers · Jun 4, 2012

I hope Igor doesn't jump ship and go help the Russians.

A.H.Black · Jun 4, 2012

There's a new article on Icenetwork, but I'm not allowed to post the link.

ice coverage · Jun 4, 2012

The IN article is by Lynn Rutherford. The only really new bit I see:

"Shpilband will search for a new situation in the greater Detroit area."

let`s talk · Jun 4, 2012

Macassar88 said:
http://www.team-russia2014.ru/article/4587.html
New article

Piseev says that Russia will give Shpilband everything he could want in Russia.

It also says that Pissev in fact hopes that the situation will come to the peace in Canton and they will find they way to work together.

His answer about Igor in Russia was more like the answer that logically should follow the question. It's not like he himself believe that Igor will work in Moscow.

Violet Bliss · Jun 4, 2012

golden411 said:
The IN article is by Lynn Rutherford. The only really new bit I see:

"Shpilband will search for a new situation in the greater Detroit area."

"I'm still trying to figure it all out," he said. "I have to find another rink in the area where I can teach. I have a lot of skaters, and this is very inconvenient for them. I need to find ice."

It sounds like he has skaters to go with him.

let`s talk · Jun 4, 2012

I don't care much in fact. It's boring. The whole story with silly firing looks childish and stupid. Don't they have any Labour Laws in US? The obviously don't. To fire someone without any valid reason is what? A norm? Probably not. But they know he won't sue, so they are doing what they are doing. It makes me puke.

Btw, Marina is indeed a very nasty persona. I didn't find much support to her in this story on Russian boards. Even boards that are 'in war' with each other, they all write the same thing about her. Most of people are very firendly and supportive to Igor. And no one had an idea that sexual harassement took place. That's just stupid.

blue dog · Jun 4, 2012

I'm really only worried about how this will affect the skaters. I know that sounds selfish, but Igor has been at the helm of American ice dance for the better part of twenty years. He will rebuild. The man defected from the Soviet Union and built a life here in America. I have no doubt that he will be fine. I worry more for what this will do to the skaters.

He can't really go to DSC, since that is a rival school. And Ann Arbor is where his former wife teaches--perhaps he can teach there? Hopefully, Nechaeva and Chesnichenko won't mind sharing the ice with him. UMich does have its own club and rink, so perhaps he can go there.

Dragonlady · Jun 4, 2012

let`s talk said:
Btw, Marina is indeed a very nasty persona. I didn't find much support to her in this story on Russian boards. Even boards that are 'in war' with each other, they all write the same thing about her. Most of people are very firendly and supportive to Igor. And no one had an idea that sexual harassement took place. That's just stupid.

Since neither of these coaches has lived or worked in Russia for more than 20 years, I seriously doubt that the Russian posters have much in the way of knowledge or insight into the situation. Not that those of us who live in North America have any idea of what went on either.

blue dog · Jun 4, 2012

Dragonlady said:
Since neither of these coaches has lived or worked in Russia for more than 20 years, I seriously doubt that the Russian posters have much in the way of knowledge or insight into the situation. Not that those of us who live in North America have any idea of what went on either.

Agreed, DL. Also, a lot of those posters may harbour resentment since Marina and Igor did defect.

gmyers · Jun 4, 2012

icebeauty said:
IMO, even if the skaters can't get Marina and Igor to work together, I cannot imagine all the teams abandoning Igos all together...i'd imagine some will either try to continue working with both coaches - just not together, go with Igor out the door, or leave the "school" altogether...this affects sooooooo many teams (more than just the top 3 teams), and it'll be very interesting following this story in the coming days/weeks/months (and until Sochi, frankly)

Looks like people are following Igor - "I have lots of skaters"

Tonichelle · Jun 4, 2012

Olympia said:
The one discipline where we in North America had it going for us, and the top two teams get poleaxed in one blow. Why don't I love football or auto racing? I'd sleep better if I did.

Trust me, in football's case there's just as much if not more drama than this.

Jammers · Jun 4, 2012

This could be the best thing to happen for skating in years. Imagine if D&W go with Igor and V&M stay with Marina. This rivalry will have what's been missing the last few years. Bad blood. What a story for Sochi. :yes:

icebeauty · Jun 4, 2012

gmyers said:
Looks like people are following Igor - "I have lots of skaters"

i wouldn't be surprised if some skaters felt betrayed by the firing since it came from the rink itself, the skaters are getting caught in the crossfire and that shows that the rink management itself isn't as supportive as it should be toward the skaters (and the skaters should be the first priority...they are the ones competing and putting the club on the map, you don't turn their training environment on its head then blame them for it). Also, at the end of the day, this is still Igor Shpilband we're talking about...dozens of skaters would loved to be coached by him
Will be interesting to see which skaters follow Igor/which ones try to keep the best of both worlds/how they deal with this.

DianaSelene · Jun 4, 2012

blue dog said:
Agreed, DL. Also, a lot of those posters may harbour resentment since Marina and Igor did defect.

I don't think Zoueva defected. Didn't she just move? Shpilband is the one who defected.

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