Tarasova weighs in on Plushenko’s critique of refereeing as her students train at the Angela Plushenko Academy
The distinguished former coach of the Soviet and later Russian figure skating teams, Tatyana Tarasova, commented on Evgeny Plushenko’s recent remarks about what he sees as unfair judging. Plushenko, a two-time Olympic champion, had spoken openly to the skaters at the Angela Plushenko Academy about refereeing decisions that did not favor his pupils.
Tarasova noted that the Plushenko family has many admirers and that the academy, guided by Plushenko, is doing solid work. She added that his skaters have encountered mistakes during competitions, which in some cases led to penalties or the removal of certain programs. Even so, she implied that Plushenko values higher performance in free skating from Veronika Zhilina, one of his students bearing expectations for a standout display in the longer program.
She also expressed a pragmatic view on judging. Tarasova suggested that referees often do not respond to vocal appeals from coaches, including her own, and that the questions raised by Plushenko may not influence the final scores. In her words, the process can appear unresponsive, with a coach stating concerns while the competition continues and the skater’s early mistakes set the tone for the rest of the event.
The discussion surrounding Plushenko’s team has included talk of possible team changes following disagreements over refereeing at national junior championships. The topic reflects ongoing tensions between coaching teams and judging panels in junior competitions, where results can have far-reaching implications for young athletes’ careers.
In the latest results, Alina Gorbacheva, representing the Tver figure skating sports school, captured the singles title. Her combined score from both segments reached 224.41 points, placing her ahead of Veronika Zhilina of the Plushenko Angels Academy, who earned 218.79 points. Maria Gordeeva, from the CSKA school, accumulated 213.02 points and secured bronze, underscoring a competitive field in which a handful of skaters from the capital were prominent.
Additionally, Evgeny Plushenko himself participated in the same event as a student under Sofia Titova. His overall score stood at 200.73 points. Notably, he landed in 16th place after the short program, out of 18 entrants, and later expressed dissatisfaction with the refereeing following the free skating phase. The split between his stance and the final outcomes highlights the complex dynamics between coaching strategies and judging at junior levels.
Overall, the dialogue around judging, training environments, and program execution continues to shape the junior scene in Russian figure skating. Coaches and athletes alike seek fairness and clarity in scoring while maintaining high standards of performance as young skaters develop their competitive identities on the ice. These conversations reveal how national programs manage talent, accountability, and the expectations families place on emerging athletes within a high-pressure arena.
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