I mean from what I am understanding it's not exactly that he is threatening them- he is stating that they will not be in a team (kind of like the USA with their envelope funding, Russia has their A team, B team, etc and partly this determines what events people are likely to get, and partly it determines funding). He is stating that they are not automatically going to put the couples into their A or B team and that they will first have to figure out regional funding and show some results, at which time they will get onto the A or B team (if all goes well naturally) and be supported.
I do not imagine this will be that hard for either of them to do (find some regional funding and then get onto the Russian team), though I am not positive if this is an additional hoop they have to jump through or just routine when couples of this caliber split up.
The journalist Vaitsekhovskya mentioned in one of her articles that Lena’s sponsors pushed very hard to see her in Team competition and that it helped the couple to be chosen for Team FD. No matter if it is true now, but I write it because it would mean that Lena (not whole couple) got some sponsor, no? Maybe it was P&G or Pantene or something else, but for Lena, not for Nikita.
Sponsors could help in this situation for sure, if they wanted.
I think that all those four are from Moscow region, I was listening to speaker at Russsian Nationals also – he said Moscow in case of I&K, S&Z and also B&S, M&K. So, all those two new couples should be supported by the same region, funny…
Kustarova is less expensive than Morozov, trainings are less expensive in Russia than in US (for Russian skaters), summer training camps are less expensive in Europe than in US (for Russians). It means that Moscow region would be forced to pay much more money to Morozov, Victoria and Nikita. And it is not coaching and trainings only.
During next few months a couple must got choreography (also expensive more from Morozov than from Averbukh for example) and costumes, also new skates. Some paso doble teachers will be needed also. Some specialists for lifts. I guess that all of this will be more expensive in US than in Russia (for Russians). Morozov also loves to visit Brodway, some box classes like last year….overall very expensive…is Moscow ready to pay it all? Why? Any secure results?
Of course all those four skaters (Viki and Lena, Ruslan and Nikita) are great, so after first Russian cmpetition they will probably win over all dancers except Bobrova & Soloviev, Monko & Khaliavin and Stepanova & Bukin, if Riazanova & Thachenko continue – I count them also. All those couples are a part of Russian Team, so both new couples would be probably chosen also. Maybe they would even jump over some of those couples, a very small chances for this, but one never knows… And of course not every top Russian couple is competing at that Russian Cup series.
Taking this into acount I don’t think that Moscow region would be so happy to sponsor two new couples who Russian Federation refused to help. Lena and Ruslan are paying for Victoria & Nikita in this case, it is not their fault that this situation happened but those rules will be for them also…that is wrong while both Lena and Ruslan didn’t start this situation.
Of course I think that all skaters came from rich families because all those years when skaters were young, their parents had to pay for anything connected to skating….it is very expensive. Now they are all a part of Russian Team, so parents doesn’t need to pay so much no more. But it looks like that for Victoria and Nikita…it would be necessary again – Morozov, trainings, food, travelling – car, choreography, off ice preparation, specialists…and once again, all this have to be done in next few months, it can’t wait until moment when they will become a part of Russian Team again.
