Morozov Vs. Chait

[sillylionlove]

On the home page for Goldenskate.com there is an article that talks about a lawsuit that Galit Chait has filed against the ice house in Hackensack NJ and it talks about Morozov.

Now I have never been a fan of Morozov but if what this article and what Galit claims is true....I have lost total respect for him!!

A link to the article

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/exolympic_skater_students_file.html

Here is a little excerpt from the article
A former Olympic ice skater-turned-coach and two of her students are suing a Hackensack ice rink, alleging they were barred from the facility because they hold Israeli citizenship.

In a lawsuit filed Monday in Superior Court in Bergen County, former Olympic skater Galit Chait said she and her students were told to find another training facility by two associates of the Ice House Skating Rink.

"I don't want to work under the Israeli flag," one associate, skating coach Nikolai Morozov, allegedly told Chait, according to court papers. The complaint was filed by Chait, an Israeli national, and her students, international ice dancers Roman and Alexandra "Sasha" Zaretsky. The Zaretskys are a brother-sister skating team that hold Israeli citizenship and live in Garfield.


The ice house is claiming that it was a business decision. It's a very interesting read!!

 

[Buttercup]

I read about it yesterday - apparently Oksana Baiul is also involved? I don't know how much of it is true, but I feel really sorry for Sasha and Roman.

Israel is not exactly a country with a great skating tradition; only Chait and Sakhanovsky have achieved decent results, so the Zaretskys are pretty much on their own. They've made a lot of progress in the last couple of years but this kind of situation can't be good for them. I hope things are resolved quickly so that they can get on with their season.

 

[Hsuhs]

It's a treat to learn more about Nikolai Morozov's complex personality. Again.

Still, no reason to misspell his name.

 

[Ptichka]

I wonder what the truth of that is... Did Morozov really say that? Did he say something out of context? I mean, he did train C&S at one point... Really doesn't make any sense. Let's wait and see what else is revealed...

 

[sillylionlove]

I wonder what the truth of that is... Did Morozov really say that? Did he say something out of context? I mean, he did train C&S at one point... Really doesn't make any sense. Let's wait and see what else is revealed...

Well it is a descrimination lawsuit. Whether he said those things or not I don't know. But I also did hear that Oksana was also involved but I don't know if that's true or to what extent. Should be interesting to see what happens.

 

[Tonichelle]

oh the dramatics of ice dance - apparently leaving it on the ice just isn't in their ideals...

it will be interesting to see who is actually involved. I don't get th reasoning behind it, but at this point we only have 1/4 of the story I assume.

 

[Mathman]

Strange indeed. Did Morozov actually say that? What does the "Israeli flag" have to do with anything? Morozov didn't complain about working under the Canadian flag when he coached Bourne and Kraatz, or the French flag when he choreographed Brian Joubert's programs, or the Japanese flag when he worked briefly with Shizuka Arakawa. He didn't object to Sasha Cohen's ethnicity.

Then there is this line.

[The Ice House lawyer] said Ice House managers made a business decision to reduce overcrowding by granting prime time practice hours at steep discounts to world class skaters who practice exclusively at the facility.

Since "granting prime time practice hours at steep discounts" cannot possibly do anything to help "reduce overcrowding," I guess they mean, "...and kick a bunch of other skaters out."

The judge apparently is doubtful if the case has merit. We'll have to wait and see.

By the way, Galit Chait is still listed as a coach on the Ice House's web site.

 

[Buttercup]

Strange indeed. Did Morozov actually say that? What does the "Israeli flag" have to do with anything? Morozov didn't complain about working under the Canadian flag when he coached Bourne and Kraatz, or the French flag when he choreographed Brian Joubert's programs, or the Japanese flag when he worked briefly with Shizuka Arakawa. He didn't object to Sasha Cohen's ethnicity.

Israel does not enjoy great popularity in many places, for reasons that mostly belong on the politics board. I'd rather talk about figure skating myself .

 

[sillylionlove]

Here is the link to an article in the Newark Star Ledger which has a great deal more information

http://www.nj.com/starledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1225340856152550.xml&coll=1

From the article (just some bits and pieces)

Hawkins said the Zaretskys continue to have access to the ice rink but not during hours reserved for members of the rink's Elite skating program, a program for world class skaters whom the rink promotes.

The program affords professional skaters ice time at steep discounts. But over time the number of world class skaters using the ice at the same time had doubled, Hawkins said. That forced managers to restrict prime-hours access to skaters who train exclusively at Ice House, which the Zaretskys do not, Hawkins said.


[I]In court papers defendant Maurizi said other Israeli skaters and coaches use the ice rink, "including during elite ice time." He also stated that Chait has access to all Ice House facilities, that nationals of other countries were denied elite ice time as well as the Zaretskys and that the Zaretskys used the ice rink's gym this week[

But she (Chait) claimed that Morozov was no fan of the Zaretskys and he continually threatened to bar them.

By August 2008 the team's problems at the rink had escalated. At one point someone shut off the music while they were still practicing, they allege

Here is where they say Oksana was involved (and it's very interesting)

That same month Olympic figure skating gold medalist and coach Oksana Baiul became involved in a dispute between the ice dancers, Roman Zaretsky said in court papers.

"Oksana inappropriately intervened and told me to stop yelling at my sister," Roman Zaretsky said, adding that arguments between partners are not unusual on the ice.

"Oksana threatened to call the police and then said she would go to Craig (Maurizi) to make sure that Craig would ban us," he added


FYI Craig is the director of the rink.

They are back in court December 5th.

 

[Mathman]

Thanks for the link, Sillylionlove.

"Oksana inappropriately intervened and told me to stop yelling at my sister," Roman Zaretsky said, adding that arguments between partners are not unusual on the ice.

"Oksana threatened to call the police..."

Oksana :thumbsup:, Roman Zeretski :disagree:. She's your kid sister, R.Z., stop yelling at her. Peace, bro -- before I call the cops. :yes:

 

[Buttercup]

Interestingly, Morozov is still listed as their choreographer in their ISU bio and on Wikipedia.

 

[sillylionlove]

Thanks for the link, Sillylionlove.

No problem. I was reading the NJ child welfare report and came across the article. I wanted to post it because of a previous post that Oksana was involved in the lawsuit.

 

[Tonichelle]

Morozov didn't complain about working under the Canadian flag when he coached Bourne and Kraatz.

no, but then by that time he and Bourne were an item.

 

[Mathman]

no, but then by that time he and Bourne were an item.

A new meaning to "working under the Canadian flag?"

 

[Ptichka]

no, but then by that time he and Bourne were an item.

According to rumors, so was he and Chait.

 

[nylynnr]

If -- if -- Morozov said, "I don't want to work under the Israeli flag," it doesn't necessarily mean he is anti-Israel as a state or prejudiced against Jewish people. It could mean he would prefer not to work with skaters heavily regulated and influenced by the Israeli Ice Federation. Coaches have disputes with various federations that are unrelated to national and religious prejudices. As for Oksana telling Roman off, well, if people filed a lawsuit everytime there was an on-ice dispute the courts would be clogged with sequins.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I don't really get this.

It seems to be a question of prime time space. it's becoming a problem and it must be resolved. Maybe some of the 'regulars' are complaining. It seems to affect some Jewish skaters, but is it Anti-Jewish? Anti-Israel? or is it a genuine move to give more skating time to those 'professional' skaters that they have permitted for some time?

Also the question of membership in a private club comes into play. What the spiffy country club directors do is up the cost of admission to keep out the riff raff.

Maybe Hawkins can up the rate per hour of skating time (of couse, not necesarily everyone). Although I am sure Ms Chait could afford to buy the rink.

 

[Buttercup]

If -- if -- Morozov said, "I don't want to work under the Israeli flag," it doesn't necessarily mean he is anti-Israel as a state or prejudiced against Jewish people. It could mean he would prefer not to work with skaters heavily regulated and influenced by the Israeli Ice Federation. Coaches have disputes with various federations that are unrelated to national and religious prejudices. As for Oksana telling Roman off, well, if people filed a lawsuit everytime there was an on-ice dispute the courts would be clogged with sequins.

As I understand it, Baiul is not being sued - only Morozov and Ice House management.

I don't know if Morozov has any issues with the Israeli Federation. I can't imagine it's a particularly powerful one. But if he did speak about working under a flag, I'm not sure that your possible explanation works. Flags are symbolic - if the reference had been to "working with Israeli skaters" then it would've made more sense. Of course, as you've written, we don't know what exactly he said.

Re him and Chait, I've also heard that they used to be an item. I think she got married a couple of months ago, though.

Although I am sure Ms Chait could afford to buy the rink.

I'm totally out of the loop on this one - is she rich? Or her family?

 

[Mathman]

...if people filed a lawsuit everytime there was an on-ice dispute the courts would be clogged with sequins.

I don't know if Morozov has any issues with the Israeli Federation. I can't imagine it's a particularly powerful one.

I think the Israeli Skating Federation does have a certain amount of influence in ISU circles. Its leadership consists mostly of Russian expatriots who have lots of ties with Russian and other Eastern European skating officials.

Galit Chait's father, Boris Chait, is the President of the Israeli Skating federation. During Galit's career he had a reputation for being quite a "stage father" who tried to use his influence to further his daughter's fortunes.

 

[NatachaHatawa]

I wonder what the truth of that is... Did Morozov really say that? Did he say something out of context? I mean, he did train C&S at one point... Really doesn't make any sense. Let's wait and see what else is revealed...

I agree, it is a bit strange. He ven coached the Zaretskis.

To come back to what some other people have suggested, it may not be that he's anti-jewish or anti-Israeli, it may be that he has a genuine issue with the Israeli skating federation. I did hear that as Galit's father is head of the federation, he can be quite controlling.

Moreover, apparently Oksana Baiul is also involved in this story, although she herself has jewish origines.