If you’ve been watching the 2022 Beijing Olympics, you’ve probably heard the drama with the Russian figure skaters. From a doping scandal to a tantrum to a sad celebration, Russia’s three women’s figure skaters did not have the ideal Olympic experience. The person behind the madness? Renowned Russian coach Eteri Tutberidze.
Eteri Tutberdize has a reputation for being incredibly hard on her figure skaters, some of the best in the world. At this year’s Olympics, all three female Russian skaters were coached by Tutberdize. Unfortunately, though the girls took first, second, and fourth, it is evident the mental damage Tutberdize has caused them.
The moment Kamila Valieva, the Russian favored to win the gold medal, tested positive for a banned substance in late December, Tutberdize and the skater -- as well as the whole Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) -- was put under scrutiny. However, despite the positive test, Valieva was allowed to compete in the Olympics, partly due to the fact that she is a “protected person” under the World Anti-Doping Agency code because she is under 16 years old.
Unfortunately, the scrutiny the Russian women’s figure skaters -- who, by the way, are all under the age of eighteen -- only increased as the games progressed. Valieva, who many thought would take the gold, seemingly crumbled under the pressure and made uncharacteristic mistakes and she thus ended up receiving fourth (which should still be considered an accomplishment given that she is fifteen!). Tutberdize was incredibly hard on Valieva, asking her “why did you stop fighting” the moment she stepped off the ice.
Another Russian skater, Alexandra Trusova (17), broke down in tears after coming in second place. Trusova, who has an incredibly competitive personality, was upset and stated that she hated skating and never wanted to do it again. With the Russian coaches attending to Valieva and Trusova, Anna Shcherbakova, the third Russian skater, sat alone when she found out she had won the gold medal. It was an incredibly sad moment to watch.
While this Olympics brought out an extreme example of the mental challenges -- and signs of abusive coaching -- that come with being a figure skater, it is unfortunately common for skaters and gymnasts to be mistreated and harmed by coaches, the very people meant to support them. Abuse comes in various ways: verbal, mental, and even sexual.
This whole situation opened a larger conversation about the exploitation of young girls and athletes. Especially in sports that focus on young girls' physique and body -- mainly figure skating and gymnastics -- athletes are more likely to develop eating disorders, often due to the pressure coaches place on them. The NCAA reports that gymnasts show a much higher rate of disordered eating than other athletes, with levels at between 51 and 62 percent. Sexual abuse is also, unfortunately, not uncommon in the gymnastics and skating world. Most notable is the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal, where former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar was exposed for abusing at least 368 athletes. This abuse happens at all levels of gymnastics and skating as well.
It’s time that these vulnerable athletes as treated better.