Plushenko changes mind, demands Sochi place

CanadianSkaterGuy · Jan 10, 2014

bramweld said:
^ It looks that way. He had the opportunity to go to EC but he passed it up. One can only assume that his body was not up to another test right before the Olympics. If only his temperament were more like Daisuke's they may have gone with him. But honestly, Kovtun earned it. If Plushenko wanted it he should have fought for the opportunity WHEN he had the chance.

Exactly. It was an incredibly stupid move on his part. At the worst, he could have said "Yeah I'll do Euros" and then pulled out if he wasn't feeling up to it. Between announcing himself as the team event representative and deciding not to do Euros (when it was obviously his shot to prove he deserved to go to the Olympics over Kovtun), he really has jumped the gun. After Russian Nationals, he should have tucked his tail between his legs, and built towards Euros in hopes of defeating Kovtun and THEN he could have made a case for being the representative.

Frenchie · Jan 10, 2014

SimplyLex said:
Not that I'm on Plushenko's side or his fan by any means... but why is it so outrageous to some, if no longer than a month ago Takahashi was awarded an Olympic spot he also lost at his nationals? (to be clear, I love Takahashi)
The only difference I see here is that Plush demands the spot, whereas Daisuke was totally ready to accept staying at home.

Plushenko is saying that his last good performance, which was the 2013RN over 1 year ago, is more representative of what he's able to do now than Kovtun's performances this entire season.
That's why it seemed obvious that to go to Sochi, Plushenko would have to prove he's able to give a good performance. Now, not 1 year ago.

Why don't they just send both to Europeans and tell them it is an ultimate test - whoever places better there, goes to Sochi?

He would have been qualified for Euros, but he didn't want to go.
Even now, he isn't asking for a spot at Euros, he wants the Sochi spot directly.

CanadianSkaterGuy · Jan 10, 2014

YunaVN said:
I want Plushenko, not that lucky Maxim. Plushenko is powerful and graceful at the same time. and he is too a several times European Champs. Maxim... maybe only a few international medals. I d rather choose Plushenko

Maxim is hardly lucky. He has placed 2nd at two Grand Prix events this year and won Russian Nationals.

Plushenko's wins in the past don't matter if he's not the best Russian skater at this point in time. And his Russian Nationals FS proved that Plushenko isn't at the form he was when he "won Euros several times".

Plushenko is resting on his laurels, and blasting Kovtun's comparative lack of experience is such sour grapes. Instead of saying why someone else who defeated him shouldn't be on the team, he should have been skating his butt off at Euros trying to get on the team. This is not a classy way to go out.

I'm glad Tarasova is in Kovtun's corner because if Kovtun had a not as prominent coach, Plushenko's whining might have easily swayed the Russian federation.

whitebamboo · Jan 10, 2014

I seem to be trying to repeat the same information again and again these days. I'll say this once.

Two things:

1. This is the context in which Plushenko said that he would skate only the team competition. This was immediately after his Russian Nationals LP (link):

- Evgeni, you said that you will miss the European Championship. But which tournament you will choose at the Olympics - Team or individual?
- At Europe I really did not go - in any case. At the Olympics, I think, I will choose a team tournament, while to a young and promising athlete I will give individual competitions. I have good judgment and appropriately assess all - for me will be enough to participate in the team competition, in which the Russian team can count on gold!

He was asked, directly, to choose. It was an interesting and highly unusual question, wasn't it?

2. As Tatjana Flade found out after talking to him, Plushenko had the wrong understanding of the rule modification that the Russian Skating Fed. obtained (which, IIRC, happened around late November). This is what she wrote on FSU:

...
About the team event/individual event, he said he thought one skater can do the team and one skater can do the individual event. I explained that this is not possible. He then said he thinks he could do both events as there is enough time in between to recover. He also said it will be whatever the Federation decides and he doesn't want to comment on who should be selected for the Games.

Given this, I am curious:

1. What could have prompted the reporter to ask such a question?
2. What could have prompted Plushenko to answer as he did, at that moment?
3. Considering 2, why is it that Plushenko knew about the rule modification, but knew it wrong?

This new interview is consistent with what Flade wrote about his reaction, as soon as she explained the truth to him. If there are to be any plans of playing the rules by withdrawing citing injuries after the team event (which was what many people here were outraged about before), he is not going to be party to it.

As for "demanding" the spot, this is what Plushenko actually said (link):

“It is for President of the Figure Skating Federation of Russia Aleksandr Gorshkov and Federation General Director Valentin Piseyev to decide who will represent Russia in the Sochi Olympics,” Plushenko said.

(European Championships is another matter, BTW. Flade also wrote that it would be fairest for Plushenko, Kovtun and Voronov all to go to the Euros. I will only mention that although Plushenko said that he would not go to the Euros immediately after the LP, he said later that he would reconsider. However, Piseev then confirmed that Plushenko would not go to the Euros, before the coaches' council met regarding the Euros list. After it came out without Plushenko's name on it, he still said at the gala that he "did not rule out" going. Take these as you will.)

CanadianSkaterGuy · Jan 10, 2014

Frenchie said:
Plushenko is saying that his last good performance, which was the 2013RN over 1 year ago, is more representative of what he's able to do now than Kovtun's performances this entire season.
That's why it seemed obvious that to go to Sochi, Plushenko would have to prove he's able to give a good performance. Now, not 1 year ago.

He would have been qualified for Euros, but he didn't want to go.
Even now, he isn't asking for a spot at Euros, he wants the Sochi spot directly.

That is the most mind-boggling thing. Between claiming himself as the Team event representative and demanding that he go to Sochi over the Russian national champion reeks of entitlement. It's like he feels going to Euros and earning his spot is beneath him.

Oreo · Jan 10, 2014

I wish Plushenko would just go away. He's past his sell-by date. Have him come out to light the Olympic cauldron; he'll get the attention he needs and Kovtun will deservedly be able to compete.

CanadianSkaterGuy · Jan 10, 2014

Oreo said:
I wish Plushenko would just go away. He's past his sell-by date. Have him come out to light the Olympic cauldron; he'll get the attention he needs and Kovtun will deservedly be able to compete.

I would have been fine with him lighting the flame or handing it off.

But that was before he threw his fellow compatriot under the bus in a very unsportsmanlike manner. :disapp:

Jammers · Jan 10, 2014

If Plushenko wanted to prove he's better then the kid he shouldn't have said he wasn't going to go to Europeans. If his body can't stand the strain of competing then he needs to just go away. But i bet he knows that Kovtun would beat him again and his ego can't stand that.

gmyers · Jan 10, 2014

Jammers said:
If Plushenko wanted to prove he's better then the kid he shouldn't have said he wasn't going to go to Europeans. If his body can't stand the strain of competing then he needs to just go away. But i bet he knows that Kovtun would beat him again and his ego can't stand that.

Whatever his motivation for skipping Euros he couldn't do it. He could have won Russian nationals and skipped it but couldn't Russian and skip it. He had to know this all along. No euros-no Olympics. So he just retired back in December. Because if he can't beat Kovtun he can't beat 17th place person in the world. He does keep bringing up Kovtun 17th place at worlds and he can't lose to that! That is Kovtun's skating under pressure. 17th place in the world. Kovtun made the GPF and bombed there. He's doing the most poorly done quads in skating and the quads with the probably the shortest sustainable technique for doing a jump I have ever seen! Lose to that and you are out! He's just over and doing mostly doubles in his free skate in Russian nationals was just it! That's why you had the no Euros/ really retirement announcement.

I don't know whats a tabloid site and what isn't in Russia. So I don't know where this stuff come from regarding statements by Plushenko or if they are real. But I do know hes skipping Euros and not skating anywhere in the world at all so hes retired.

karne · Jan 10, 2014

CanadianSkaterGuy said:
I would have been fine with him lighting the flame or handing it off.

But that was before he threw his fellow compatriot under the bus in a very unsportsmanlike manner. :disapp:

And Kovtun threw Menshov under the bus last year, too.

Before very hastily deleting the nasty tweets.

Kovtun's no angel. In fact, he makes for a pretty poor role model.

CanadianSkaterGuy · Jan 10, 2014

karne said:
And Kovtun threw Menshov under the bus last year, too.

Before very hastily deleting the nasty tweets.

Kovtun's no angel. In fact, he makes for a pretty poor role model.

Oh, I'm not saying Kovtun's an angel. Kovtun is young and immature. Plushenko should know better. And just because one skater has been nasty doesn't justify you being nasty to them.

seniorita · Jan 10, 2014

International Skating Union (ISU) regulations state clearly that each country's winner of the Olympic qualification tournament-- in this case the Russian national championships -- should represent the country at the Games.

Emm..no.
Also Plushenko never had an interview blaming his injuries for the Russian Nationals.

Sorry this article sounds like a yellow one, and the title is bad.

Gigi13 · Jan 10, 2014

Wow this is crazy, he's so desperate and I don't know how the Russian federation is going to deal with this situation.

Icey · Jan 10, 2014

Plush is as nutty as the fruitcake.

gmyers · Jan 10, 2014

seniorita said:
Emm..no.
Also Plushenko never had an interview blaming his injuries for the Russian Nationals.

Sorry this article sounds like a yellow one, and the title is bad.

Of course the first time I ever hear ever that the ISU had a rule saying winners of nationals must go to the Olympics its in an article about Plushenko! LOL! There is no such rule and never was and it is ridiculous but what a time for a lie!

The Russian federation can ignore it totally. One skater is skating and the other isn't and even if it is not Kovtun there are two other members of the EUro team who are actually skating.

karne · Jan 10, 2014

I'm thinking that if the writer of the article is making stuff up like the "ISU rule", what else are they making up?

The title, for one...

Frenchie · Jan 10, 2014

Can you imagine what a scary team Plushenko AND Tarasova might have been?
I know that would never happen after all that went down after Yagudin left Mishin for Tarasova, but given how both Plushenko and Tarasova are acting now, if they were a team, he would not only make it to the Olympics, but they'd probably both walk on the ice in regular boots, no blades necessary, and stand in front of the judges, stare them all down and demand the Olympic Gold Medal be handed to them since both their past achievements make it obvious that the Gold can only go to them. The competition would be redundant and beneath them.

The funny part is: Some judges would actually wet their pants and consider giving in... :slink:

whitebamboo · Jan 10, 2014

karne said:
I'm thinking that if the writer of the article is making stuff up like the "ISU rule", what else are they making up?

The title, for one...

Yes, I'd say the title, certainly.

This is, as far as I know, the actual interview:
http://itar-tass.com/opinions/interviews/1877
google translation of the title:
Evgeni Plushenko: I plan to act in Sochi and team and individual competitions

Here is a brief Voice of Russia report, based on the interview, but only a small part of it:
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_...henko-plans-to-perform-in-2014-Olympics-9527/

Figure skater Evgeni Plushenko plans to perform in 2014 Olympics

Evgeni Plushenko, the 2006 Olympic figure skating champion and twice Olympic silver medalist, told reporters he intended to participate in his fourth Olympics both in the team and individual events.

Although he lost Russia’s championship to Maksim Kovtun, he plans to do his best in the Sochi Olympics. He is not discouraged by the fact that such a prestigious expert as Tatiana Tarasova lobbies Kovtun’s interests.

“It is for President of the Figure Skating Federation of Russia Aleksandr Gorshkov and Federation General Director Valentin Piseyev to decide who will represent Russia in the Sochi Olympics,” Plushenko said.

He said he would refuse from the participation in the two events of the Sochi programme only if he did not feel one-hundred percent ready.

“If I have problems with health I will surely say so,” he noted. “I will appear in the Sochi Olympics only if I feel ready to do my best,” he said.

Tonichelle · Jan 10, 2014

Does his attitude really surprise anyone?

Red Helicopter · Jan 10, 2014

"Plushenko" topics are discussed on many pages both on Russian and English-speaking boards

I think there's nothing to discuss yet.. This question will be solved completely in the lobby, because too many factors and interests are involved from both sides.
Anyway it's for sure that Kovtun has to skate more or less clear at Euros to have better chance for Olympics. His protector Tarasova is very powerful in Russian figure skating world, but she needs to show that Kovtun is able to achieve really good results.

Plushenko changes mind, demands Sochi place

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