2024-03-13 13:45:15
The words of the great coach touched Eteri Georgievna to the quick.
The disqualification of Kamila Valieva for violating anti-doping rules continues to be one of the main topics in Russian sports. Almost everyone spoke on the issue – from football players to top-level officials.
Nevertheless, the words of the legendary Tatyana Tarasova managed to provoke a powerful scandal, which seemed to infuriate the usually calm and reserved Eteri Tutberidze.
From love to hate?
The relationship between Tutberidze and Tarasova changed vector more than once. Both are, without a doubt, outstanding coaches who have made a fantastic contribution to the development of figure skating in Russia and the world. Both Tatyana Anatolyevna and Eteri Georgievna are lumps. They never hesitated to express and defend their own position, which often differed among them.
At the Pyeongchang Olympics, Tatyana Anatolyevna openly supported Evgenia Medvedeva in her confrontation with Alina Zagitova, and then did not criticize Zhenya when she left Tutberidze for Brian Orser.
There was one more point that might affect the relationship between the two great coaches. Commenting on the suspension of Zagitova’s career, Tarasova said that Alina most likely will not return to big-time sports, and expressed disappointment that her career turned out to be so short. It is clear that she did not directly accuse Tutberidze of anything, but it was certainly possible to see certain hints in this.
Despite such situations, then there was no global conflict between them. Moreover, Tarasova and Tutberidze were often seen in joint photographs. Tatyana Anatolyevna praised her younger colleague in every possible way. When our athletes were suspended from international competitions, Tarasova personally came to Khrustalny to support Tutberidze and all the skaters who found themselves in a difficult situation.
Tatyana Tarasova / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Nina Zotina
The Valieva case changed everything
It was a powerful gesture. It seemed that their relationship would only grow stronger from now on. However, everything changed following the high-profile doping case of Kamila Valieva. More precisely, not even the case itself, but the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on a four-year disqualification of the Russian figure skater.
“If, God forbid, such a situation had happened to me, I would have said that I was to blame. I don’t evaluate the actions of Eteri Tutberidze, but I would say that I was guilty, I mixed it up, I gave the wrong thing, but I would remove responsibility for this from the child. She cannot help but know who defended Camila in court. This is the first thing a coach should be interested in. Not only Valieva, but also Eteri Tutberidze herself is involved in the situation. How can she not know this? We should ask her who defended Kamila in court,” Tarasova said in an interview with Match TV.
At the same time, Tutberidze wrote on social networks that she strongly supported Valieva and was confident of her innocence, because none of her students had ever used illegal drugs. She also called Camila the most gifted athlete of all with whom she worked. However, this did not convince Tarasova. The Honored Coach of the USSR made a loud statement in the program “Life and Fate,” which was the beginning of a powerful scandal.
– Not a single athlete will take any pill from the doctor’s hands – only a coach can give this pill. It can not be any other way. How can children take such a pill from a doctor? We can’t do anything without a coach,” Tarasova said.
Kamila Valieva / Photo: © Dmitry Chelyapin / Match TV
Tutberidze called for accountability
Eteri Georgievna predictably saw this as a direct accusation once morest herself and her group. Actually, it’s really difficult to interpret it any other way. Tarasova’s words literally infuriated Tutberidze and forced her to publish a post on social networks directly demanding an apology.
“I want to ignore it so as not to get dirty from this dirt.” But this is already deliberate slander and false accusations. Apparently, the boundaries of what is permitted have been completely lost. You can’t blame everything on age. Tatyana Anatolyevna, this time I expect an official apology from you,” she wrote.
Eteri Tutberidze / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Alexander Vilf
By the way, WADA recently stated that they might not find evidence of the coach’s guilt in the Valieva case, as the organization’s general director Olivier Niggli told AP. Although this is unlikely to calm the conflict between the two great coaches, which seems to be just beginning.
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