‘Russians started everywhere’: Zabiyako won’t play for Canada

Having decided to continue her professional career and join the Canadian national team, Russian skater Natalya Zabiyako will not be able to achieve this with the decision of the North American side. This was explained by Alexander Kogan, Director General of the Russian Figure Skating Federation (FFKKR), in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“The Canadian Figure Skating Federation previously contacted us about Natalia Zabiyako and has already denied her request. Currently, Zabiyako is a Russian skater, ”Kogan said.

Two countries, five partners and seven coaches changed

Natalya Zabiyako was born in Estonia and until 2014 she represented this country at international tournaments, speaking alternately with Sergey Mukhin, Sergey Kulbach and Alexander Zaboev. In the spring of 2014, FFKKR invited the 19-year-old skater, with whom he began training with honored trainer Nina Moser.

The first season in the new country Zabiyako was not full-fledged due to the quarantine that the athletes served when changing their sports citizenship. At the end of the season, his partner Yuri Larionov announced that he was retiring and switching to coaching due to a chronic injury.

Zabiyako entered the 2015/16 season with Alexander Enbert. A successful start at the Russian Championship allowed the couple to qualify for the European Championship as a substitute. However, the couple could not go to the tournament – in one of the training sessions, Natalya was seriously injured after a long separation after throwing a triple axel.

“I couldn’t focus my eyes, my ear was bleeding, but I said, ‘Damn, no, it’s okay.’

Then my pain got worse and I was taken to intensive care. It’s a paradox, but I thought, “Well what, finish it, or what, now? No, it’s not going to work that way.”

There was still a wild sense of guilt towards the coaches and Sanya (Enbert) for losing so much time because of me,” Zabiyako said about her injury in 2018.

In the pre-Olympic season, the couple took third place at the Russian Championships, which allowed the skaters to make their debut at the European Championships in the Czech Republic, where they managed to take fifth place.

Zabiyako and Enbert reached the pinnacle of their fitness in 2018 – winning bronze at the home European Championships in Moscow, then performing at the Pyeongchang Olympics, where they settled for silver in the team championship.

The following year, the skaters took the podium at the Russian Championship, but later had to miss the continental championship in Minsk due to the injury of their partner. At the World Championships in Saitama, the Russians managed to get a bronze medal, after which Alexander suspended his sports career.

In February 2020, as part of the Road to Glory ice show, the couple announced their retirement from the sport.

This year, Zabiyako decided to continue her career – the athlete will be paired with Zachary Daleman, the younger brother of 2017 World Championship bronze medalist Gabrielle Daleman.

“Nobody accepts Russians”

Honored coach of Russia Lyudmila Velikova said in an interview with a socialbites.ca correspondent that after a long break, the 27-year-old figure skater is unlikely to return to her previous level.

“No one accepts the Russians, they kicked them from everywhere. Why would he come back? Can’t a man find another job? For example, I gave birth to a 27-year-old girl. I didn’t want to leave either. I don’t think anyone is a top athlete as much as they care.

Our federation should worry about the next generation in which it will be possible to trust in something. We have to help little kids, kids. And what to hug this person? The pair left no trace in my memory.

Of course you can’t say that, but again, this isn’t the level of figure skater to tear up and skate. And he suffered a terrible, severe traumatic brain injury. I think at her age we need to calm down, ”Velikova told socialbites.ca.