Olympic figure skating champion Aljona Savchenko says she has experienced brutal training methods firsthand.
In an interview with the Eurosport broadcaster on Saturday, the Ukrainian-born reported of being beaten, being deprived of food and being forced to train.
"I've had coaches who would hit me on the head with pads if I did any element badly.
I've had coaches shooting water pistols in the cold ice rink.
I had coaches who gave us little food," Savchenko said in the interview.
After the meal she was supposed to vomit
The 38-year-old said it was like a punishment at times: "Get up in the morning, first weigh yourself, then eat a little, have a salad for lunch, and nothing in the evening.
There were courses where we were hungry.
We secretly asked for food in the canteen, stole something here and there and ate in hiding.”
She also had a trainer who forced her to train, even though her body couldn't do it.
At a course in Russia, a trainer asked her to lose weight by putting two fingers in her mouth after eating and throwing up, Savchenko also reported.
Savchenko, who won Olympic gold for Germany in 2018 with her French partner Bruno Massot, spoke against the background of the case of Russian figure skating teenager Kamila Valiyeva at the Beijing Winter Games.
The 15-year-old, who is being investigated because of a positive doping test, finished fourth after a botched freestyle and was not comforted by her trainer afterwards, but criticized.
Savchenko advocated a minimum age for participants.
"From 16, 17, 18 it would be acceptable.
15 is still too young.
When you're 17 or 18, you approach things with different thoughts and maybe you can decide for yourself: Do I do this or not?” said Savchenko.