I am very sure all FS fans have heard of Alena Kostornaia leaving Tutberidze's camp...
...there have been some things that are bothering me in the discussion, it did so with Alexandra Trusova before. So here are my few thoughts about it:
Trusova and Kostornaia leaving is a good thing as to leave an environment that cannot be seen as healthy at all. (I would even say it's an abusive way of coaching)
It's absolutely disgusting how Tutberidze's team is trashing and blaming the teenagers and what wild fight on SNS is happening. (I would grab popcorn if it wouldn't be so upsetting) In my opinion it is highly unprofessional. (and this women got "best coach" award? 🤮) (I have talked about my problems with Eteri's team on my sideblog @myjunkisyuzuruhanyu last season when Shoma trained there)
As much as leaving Eteri may be good, going to Plushenko however isn't the improvement in environment that ppl hope for. And that's bothering me that some ppl are just so happy Eteri's team got kicked in the face that they overlook the problems in Plushenko's camp or what face he is showing to the world (forgot the comments he did?)
I don't deny Plushenko has achieved great results as a skater. And Plushenko as a skater may be a legend for his results (though I don't forget how he basically bought himself into the Sochi Olympics and stole - yes stole - the spot from Maxim Kovtun) but he has basically nothing to show as a coach. So far his school did not bring out any achievement on international stages and the big names like Sotnikova never competed under him. So I would say his name as a skater is all that he can offer...(and the students from Eteri Serafima and Anastasia left his school after one year btw)
And what we have heard of his coaching so far isn't any more healthier than what Eteri's camp does. Just read the latest interview with Serafima Sakhanovich!
Just to give you some examples of the interview:
Plush was only there once a week and the coaches that worked with her instead were fired for no reason
accused her of faking injury publicly
trashed her publicly after she got away from Plushenko for being lazy (sounds familiar huh?)
Serafima said that the methods the schools use are the same (she trained with Tutberidze and Plushenko)
Another student who left Plushenko is Anastasia Tarakanova. She left because of the training conditions. Some examples from the interview:
Plushenko accused her of unwillingness to train and called her overly emotional
Plushenko trashed her for being hysterical and crying in front of other athletes after she left and she openly responded on her Instagram that Plushenko did not kick her out but she left on her own (two versions of a story - sounds familiar?)
And then I don't even want to say much about how Plushenko and his wife treat his own son like for example Plushenko's wife admit that she hit her son with a belt and locks him in dark rooms as punishment.
If all of this (the interviews, the treatment of Sasha Plushenko) is public knowledge and is shared without 2nd thought, I don't want to know what is not shared about what is happening behind closed doors.
Because of all this I cannot be happy about either Kostornaia's or Trusova's move and that's before taking into account that to me so far it seems he more focused on his own fame and money instead of the success of his skaters.
And actually if now the "hot Sergei" (I really don't know why fans named him that🤷♀️) is now part of Plushenko's team I don't see how that team will be any different. He was part of Tutberidze's team and seemed to have worked with the same work ethics, so I don't see how that would have changed under Plushenko.
I wish all the best to Kostornaia and Trusova, let's hope they can shine despite all they have been through. And let's hope they can end their careers one day on their own accord.
Adding: I think that neither Plushenko nor Tutberidze are evil people in general (the world isn't black and white) it's just that coaching methods that border on abuse seem to be widely accepted and spread in skating and coaches like Tutberidze use them because either they have been treated the same as athletes or because it's told that this is the only way to success. And as long as it's seen as normal by parents, athletes and coaches there is still a long way to go. Also I don't think it's a Russian problem, abusive methods happen everywhere in the world.
I hope that with all what is coming to light all over the world in gymnastics (AG and RG) and skating that one day the wellbeing of the athletes will be the focus instead of results. Some athletes have become champions with those methods but at what cost? And how many leave the sports with broken bones and soul that we have never heard of and never received any kind of recognition?
We need a change in thinking! No result justifies methods that border on abuse!
