"Let's add more points for the stones on the suit": how did they assess Zhulin's call to introduce a bonus for age skaters

Another successful performance at the stage of the Grand Prix series in Canada gave the experts a new reason for admiration for Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, who flawlessly performed two triple axels in a free program and took second place in the tournament.

Most single skaters at her age are already ending their careers, but the student of Alexei Mishin is not going to retire and not only competes on equal terms with younger rivals, but also claims to participate in the Olympic Games.

Against the background of the success of the 2015 world champion, the famous specialist Alexander Zhulin suggested encouraging figure skaters in single skating with additional points for age.

He explained that the execution of some jumps becomes more difficult over time, and the introduction of such a bonus may additionally motivate athletes not to leave the big sport early.

“At 17, add one point to a skater, at 18 - two, and so on ... Because the body changes with age, and such a system will motivate athletes to continue their careers.

Tuktamysheva does not receive such a bonus, and therefore deserves great respect.

Elizabeth performed excellently with two triple axels in the free program.

Few 15-year-old skaters can handle this daunting element.

Tuktamysheva performs without mistakes, and she herself enjoys her skating.

She is an example for others - she was twice outside the team at the Olympic Games, but did not give up.

Liza is fighting hard, so I hope she will get a ticket to Beijing, ”Sputnik Japan quotes Zhulin.

Honored Trainer of the USSR Tatyana Tarasova supported this initiative, but could not answer unequivocally whether its implementation was possible.

"Interesting offer.

Such a system will motivate older athletes to continue their careers - that's right.

But we do not know how realistic it is to realize the idea.

It would be interesting for me to observe such changes ”, - quotes Tarasova“ Championship ”.

However, for the most part in the world of figure skating, they were rather skeptical about Zhulin's words.

So, Alexey Yagudin ridiculed this proposal, noting that in this case, bonuses can be given for knowledge of a foreign language, since this will motivate him to study.

And in the Instagram account of the group, Eteri Tutberidze joked about the need to respect elders and give them a place in public transport.

State Duma deputy Irina Rodnina reacted quite sharply to Zhulin's words.

In her opinion, one should not even seriously talk about the possible introduction of age allowances, because the technical committee of the international federation is in charge of regulating the rules for setting marks.

"Sasha, probably do not know, in the world there is such a category as adult (adult -.

).

Each category has its own competition.

There is already a lower age threshold for the possibility of performing at an adult level, but there is no upper one, ”said the three-time Olympic champion.

“There are examples of successful performances of mature athletes - the same Alena Savchenko in pair skating, or a 46-year-old gymnast at the Olympic Games-2020 in Tokyo (Oksana Chusovitina -

) ... 30 year old girl.

Well, it's just some kind of stupidity, "added the interlocutor of RT.

According to choreographer Ilya Averbukh, Zhulin's call should be treated as a joke, and not as a serious proposal.

The head of the FFKKR, Alexander Gorshkov, shares the same point of view, although he understands the specialist's desire to distinguish Tuktamysheva from other girls.

“I have great respect for Liza, but still it's not so easy. Some special grading system should be developed - how many points will be given, for what exactly, and how. I doubt that the bonus points for this in the future may appear. I'm not ready to say if this can motivate the skaters to continue their careers. Also, I do not associate Alexander's words with arguments about a possible increase in the age limit. We have long opposed this, our position is well known. However, Lisa, of course, is great and deserves praise for her skating. She once again proved that age is not an obstacle, ”Gorshkov emphasized.

Irina Slutskaya, who spoke from her time until the age of 27, expressed the hope that refereeing in figure skating will remain the same, since encouraging performances based on age will simply be unfair to young athletes. In addition, the two-time world champion does not consider a few points to be sufficient motivation to pursue a career.

“I guess Alexander was just kidding. Otherwise, you can go out on the ice to all the legends of the early 2000s and simply get twice as many points for age as 15-year-old girls for technical skating. This, of course, is complete nonsense (

) ... Let's add more points for the beautiful stones on the suit. A pretty girl came out on the ice - we'll give ten points, and the other - too ordinary - we'll put her minus ten. Some nonsense. Why does it all come down to some kind of external data, and not to filling the program? It's still wrong, ”Slutskaya said.

She is also sure that one should not expect the increase in the age qualification in women's skating, which has been discussed in recent years. In her opinion, young skaters should not be deprived of the opportunity to compete with their elders if they are competitive already in their age. Indeed, in this case, a huge number of programs worth attention will remain at the junior level, and this will be a loss for big sport.

“On the one hand, we would like to see athletes like Tuktamysheva more often. Adult, mature, meaningful skating. However, I cannot say that Kamilla Valieva is in some way inferior. She also interprets the program beautifully. Naturally, at 15 or even 19 years old it is much easier to perform than at 25 ... When a person has gone through more than one Olympic cycle, he is very different mentally from yesterday's junior. In your youth, you skate an arbitrary program ten times in a row and will not even notice, and at 25 you will feel every unnecessary movement. But this is a sport: it must be intense and delicious to attract attention. Let's say there are girls from 19 years old in the national team who will compete only because younger ones are not allowed. Who is interested in this? The strongest should compete, ”added the seven-time European champion.

Zhulin himself later admitted that he was somewhat shocked by the reaction to his words.

According to the expert, people are really interested in watching strong age skaters, and if his idea is discussed like that, then it really is not so bad.

“I didn't mean Lisa Tuktamysheva personally, but such athletes as Ashley Wagner, Carolina Costner and others like them.

Wouldn't people like to see figure skaters of this level?

If we consider this seriously, and not when some rabid fans shout that Zhulin is against Shcherbakova and Zagitova, but only for Tuktamysheva - this is not true, then there is logic in the idea, ”said Alexander.

He also compared this situation with the setting of the program.

According to him, people often do not pay attention to his failures, but constantly give advice and criticize when he succeeds in creating a good number.

“Thus, you understand that you guessed right.

This means that I guess right with the idea of ​​adding points.

I began to be frightened by the lack of a sense of humor in people, they can now speak for every word you say.

Anyone can call the conditional Zhulin a moron, but I will somehow survive it, not scary, ”the coach concluded.