Ah, I love this! Thank you for the explanation of the sound similarities!Excuse me for interrupting just in training with Tutberidze, but I already don’t have time today. So far, I can note that the word "deer" ("олень", alen') in Russian is consonant with the name Alena - that's probably why the nickname arose. Also, the word "deer" rhymes with the word "seal" ("тюлень", tyulen').
And who doesn't believe her every word and doesn't think that Eteri is an evil witch is not her true fan, right?Aliona poured her heart out in that interview, and yet, the usual actors are still here being dismissive, basically calling her a liar and trying to justify team tut's abuse...lovely
And I didn't have to die for it....Thank you! I've read what she said and I'm so sad that some people always try to make something out of nothing. I'd die to watch that video though...
I think it's totally pointless to start again the never-ending argument about TT, especially here, in Aliona's Fan Fest. We love her no matter what, but she's not flawless, we see her weaknesses, the mistakes she's made etc. etc. And it's the same with the coaching staff. Nobody is an angel, they/we are all humans who, as such, can't be perfect. So I'd like to ask my fellow posters here to stop demonizing the coaching staff all the time, at least, as I mentioned, here in Aliona's Fan Fest (and in other FFs of course). Thank you!
It's great that Aliona is strong enough to stand up for herself. I worry that the others, the younger ones, like Valieva, are still too naive to understand what an unhealthy situation is. Med had the guts, and self awareness, to leave that situation, and came back due to travel restrictions. Let's hope she and Aliona can steer the younger women to something better. Those kids deserve it.Apparently, the worth of a child's (and future adult's) mental and physical health is one Olympic Gold Medal. Good to know…
As for Aliona: The skating world owes her one big apology and I hope she realises how brave she is for laying it out there like that, without sugarcoating anything. Nothing she said came as a surprise, everything has been confirmed by the coaches themselves or other athletes. If anyone still continues to support the coaches, despite the overwhelming evidence and testaments to their abusive methods, they should take a long, hard look at themselves, their values and, how much a young girl is worth it to them.
For Aliona, as well as Anna, Kamila, Sasha and all the other girls harmed by TeamTutberidze'd abuse, I hope for only good things to come their way. Aliona is working with a psychologist, at least, so that should be helpful in unlearning some of the harmful mindsets ingrained in her by the adults in her life. She's a fantastic skater and a gift to this sport, but more importantly than that she's her own person and deserves to feel happy and valued. I hope she finds people (that includes coaches, ball's in Buyanova's court now…) that, finally, do just that.
I'm new here, so I don't want to offend, but that is kind of the elephant in the room, isn't it? We all respect these athletes, and want what's best. It sucks to see some of the more toxic aspects of this camp, and that's because we want to see the skaters succeed.I think it's totally pointless to start again the never-ending argument about TT, especially here, in Aliona's Fan Fest. We love her no matter what, but she's not flawless, we see her weaknesses, the mistakes she's made etc. etc. And it's the same with the coaching staff. Nobody is an angel, they/we are all humans who, as such, can't be perfect. So I'd like to ask my fellow posters here to stop demonizing the coaching staff all the time, at least, as I mentioned, here in Aliona's Fan Fest (and in other FFs of course). Thank you!
If you really want to continue this, then I say, first read how Aliona talks about her mother in connection with her training, the tone is similar to how she talks about her coaches. Does she think her mother is "toxic". I don't think so. Second, the important thing is in that interview Aliona talks with smile, not like she reveals some dark secrets of her past. Third, her words need to be taken with a grain of salt. For instance, when she was leaving the team two years ago, she complained she was on the ice with little kids, now she talks about that her team was preventing her to interact with little kids. Those are obviously some very particular situations, that were changed in mind as a rule. That's not I'm critical to Aliona, that's completely normal thing and I myself am critical to myself enough to understand I do it too sometimes. Something like when after several years you recall school, previous job etc. and some particular moments cover the rest. And fourth, if you read that, you still relize Aliona definitely respects Eteri even though she disagrees with her on something.I'm new here, so I don't want to offend, but that is kind of the elephant in the room, isn't it? We all respect these athletes, and want what's best. It sucks to see some of the more toxic aspects of this camp, and that's because we want to see the skaters succeed.
If you really want to continue this, then I say, first read how Aliona talks about her mother in connection with her training, the tone is similar to how she talks about her coaches. Does she think her mother is "toxic".
I'm mentioning her mother again, remember she tried to persuade Aliona staying with TT. I don't think she would do that if she would think about some "toxicity".
I agree, I just want to point out that the true "realities of the system" (no matter if it's about skating or something else) are very often different from how people in the west imagine it. I myself verified that when it came to my own country. And it doesn't have to be just about "east-west" differencies, it is related even to such things as how a particular thing is refered in media and how it differs from reality even within my own country. I myself experienced a situation when four "eye-witnesses" (it wasn't a crime ) refered about the very same thing completely differently, which was caused by different attitude, different sympathies and different expectations. So, that's why I rarely haste with any judgement.I've always been fascinated by the Russian skaters and gymnasts because of the deep-rooted influences of ballet and dance, which makes them different than any other country in these sports. But it's kind of difficult to discuss Russian skaters and not discuss the complicated realities of the system. They are intertwined.
I understand there are cultural differences in how people in the west respond to a system like Sambo 70 but when you read or hear about some of the more extreme methods, such as restricted water intake during competitions, or training while injured, and hear from the athletes themselves, its beyond cultural differences. Eteri is going to be under the hot lights when the doping trial gets underway, so it will be interesting to see how she responds.I agree, I just want to point out that the true "realities of the system" (no matter if it's about skating or something else) are very often different from how people in the west imagine it. I myself verified that when it came to my own country. And it doesn't have to be just about "east-west" differencies, it is related even to such things as how a particular thing is refered in media and how it differs from reality even within my own country. I myself experienced a situation when four "eye-witnesses" (it wasn't a crime ) refered about the very same thing completely differently, which was caused by different attitude, different sympathies and different expectations. So, that's why I rarely haste with any judgement.
Well what you named are exactly the things I was talking about, twisted (like that about the water intake)), partially received with ignorance, not in derogatory way, just plain lack of familiarity, like in the case of "training while injured". Of course, in some cases it's also the case of settling two different sets of rules for two same cases, which unfortunately happens very often. There is hardly a single top athlete throughout all sports all around the world, who does not train or compete while he is injured, and figure skating is no exception in this.I understand there are cultural differences in how people in the west respond to a system like Sambo 70 but when you read or hear about some of the more extreme methods, such as restricted water intake during competitions, or training while injured, and hear from the athletes themselves, its beyond cultural differences. Eteri is going to be under the hot lights when the doping trial gets underway, so it will be interesting to see how she responds.
Aliona gave a very long, very frank interview. Are you seriously trying to enforce a new rule banning the content of her interviews from her fan fest now?I think it's totally pointless to start again the never-ending argument about TT, especially here, in Aliona's Fan Fest. We love her no matter what, but she's not flawless, we see her weaknesses, the mistakes she's made etc. etc. And it's the same with the coaching staff. Nobody is an angel, they/we are all humans who, as such, can't be perfect. So I'd like to ask my fellow posters here to stop demonizing the coaching staff all the time, at least, as I mentioned, here in Aliona's Fan Fest (and in other FFs of course). Thank you!
She could just be out of practice with this Twilight program (maybe they asked her to skate it on the spur of the moment..) the fans seemed to love it regardless.. and those fangs are scary!! And that Twilight dress is a bit too small for her now..
> Twilight dress is a bit too small for her now..
I guess a few of us here don't really mind that... Sorry, it was just too tempting! But you're right, this dress was designed to fit her perfectly at the age of 16 and obviously her body has changed since then, now she's a grown up young woman. But hey, she's always looked beautiful at every age and I think she's happy to still be able to wear this dress tastefully. (And we're happy too to see her wear it...)