http://www.izvestia.ru/sport/article3135820/26.11.2009.
To skaters Lutay given a year... On wednesday, the Bureau of the Russian Federation of figure skating (FFKKR) issued a decision on the notorious case of Andrei Lutay's .....
The meeting was held behind the closed doors of the hall boards of the Olympic Committee of Russia ....
"To be honest, I am sincerely sorry for this guy. He is not sloven, and not a drunkard. But we are obliged to take action. Otherwise, the situation in the team can get out of control" - sighs president of FFKKR.
Lutay's himself, for the time being not visible, though, how we could find out before the meeting, the athlete had arrived in Moscow and is ready to appear before the leadership of the federation. Only five minutes before the end of the meeting secretary somewhere skater leads into the hall. The guy has no face. "I'm ready for any verdict" - short throws it on the threshold of the correspondent of "Izvestia". And soon comes out into the corridor with large drops of sweat on his forehead. Follow the Valentin Piseev with a leaf in his hands.
"Listen to the decision. Because violation of the sport mode and ethical standards of conduct as a candidate for a Russian team Andrey Lutai, Bureau Federation of figure skating decides: Andrey Lutay will be withdraw from the candidates in a sports team of Russia in figure skating for 2009-2010, and remove from participation in international and all-Russian's competitions, conducted FFKKR until November 15, 2010" - clearly he says.
Downcast, Andrey listens to "sentence" and then quietly promises: "I will try to wash away this stain. I do not want to surrender, keep training and hope to return one year later like a winner."
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First Lutay's interview...
http://www.izvestia.ru/sport/article3135889/27.11.2009.Figure skater Andrei Lutay: "Cell in the prison looked like a sports hall"....
- Izvestia: I hear you have trouble began even before the event.
- Andrei Lutai: This stems from the - error of avio carrier. By an oversight, staff my skates were in Europe. And exactly, no one can explain - in St. Petersburg or Helsinki, where I did a connection.
- I: Why is it impossible to take them on board?
- Lutai: By the new anti-terrorism rules of air travel may not be taken cutting and piercing items in the passenger compartment. So it happened that for three days I was in limbo, unable to train, and got skates only a few hours before the short program. And although the organizers allowed me to make training out the official schedule, was not enough. The result you know - the tenth place among a dozen participants.
- I: And then you decided to relieve stress on traditional Russian way?
- Lutai: Actually, I do not drink alcohol: to drink vodka is not by my rules.
- I: Why then they are found in your blood alcohol? And just 0.19 ppm, whereas under the laws of the State of New York is permissible only 0,08.
- Lutai: I can tell only what I remember. After the competition all the athletes were invited to a disco. Out of respect for the organizers, I go there, too, came and stayed for about an hour. To cool down a little bitter, I ordered in the bar cold iced tea, drank it, some sat down and listened to music, and went out into the fresh air. All which happened after - is covered with fog.
- I: That you do not want to say, that someone poured something in your drink?
- Lutai: Anything can happen. Although I did not suspect, and inclined to the other versions. Perhaps the bartender is not very well understood my bad English, and instead of ice tea, he can poured into a glass of something stronger. And I'm so nervous, drank the mixture, and did not notice the change.
- I: Where at that time was your coach Alexei Mishin?
- Lutai: Alexei Nikolayevich and I, lived in different hotels. When he left, he advised me that at a party I not long delayed.
- I: Why did not you went to the hotel by bus?
- Lutai: When I went out on the porch area, in front of the club was empty. I remember that I decided to walk. Then came some the failure of memory. Clearly explain, how I found myself in someone else's car, where I went, I not could not say in police, or in court. I do not know this, and now.
- I: To operate a car and to shift it from its place, you should at least have the keys and know how to work the pedals and shift knob.
- Lutai: (sigh) As was told me later, car owner left the keys in the ignition. He's brought his Chevrolet for the inspection in a repair shop. And I know how to drive a car, even in St. Petersburg traffic i am not bad handle.
- I: It is alleged, that in your company were two girls, and that you resisted to arrest police.
- Lutai: First I learned about it from the media. But this is just rumor. Police themselves say, that I not go far away. When the patrol caught me, I obediently stopped the car and I was taken to the police station, even without handcuffs. There my consciousness is beginning to return ...
- I: You can see coach?
- Lutai: Alexey came to the police station and asked what happened, and said a few encouraging words.
- I: In prison you are held in solitary confinement?
- Lutai: The premises was more like a sports hall, hung in the corners cameras for the detainees. Treated me politely, and fed well. But I did not want anyone, to be behind bars even for three days. Not to mention the two years, which I could get on the original charges.
- I: On the questioning is often called you?
- Lutai: I was detained on monday night (16 November). The same evening I came to talk with the vice-president of our Figure Skating Federation Sergey Kononykhin and lawyer, Brian Barrett. And on wednesday is held a hearing.
- I: When did you know that you will be allowed to fly to Russia? And why is part of the original charges in court was removed?
- Lutai: My counsel, from start was convinced, that the case will be transferred from the category of criminal, to civil. This happened, when the host of car has sent a letter to the court that he had no complaints to me, and when charged for my resisting during arrest fell off. Therefore, immediately after the trial, I was released without bail, but here's permission to travel to Russia given me only at the end of last week. The delay occurred because the prosecutor did not come to court.
- I: How you met the family in Belgorod?
- Lutai: Mother and older sister really worried. They are for many years did everything for my sporting career, and I have returned them on such way! How I could, tried to reassure them.
- I: The incident occurred shortly before the start of the Games in Vancouver. Opponents do not try to use it against the team of Russia?
- Lutai: While I realize, how much has tarnished the credibility of Russia's figure skating, I hope, that this case still remains my personal misfortune. In my opinion, in the U.S. this has not received a great response, and the major U.S. media barely noticed this...
