Zhenya's interview for "Vesti FM" russian radio....
23.03.2010.AUDIO - listen:
www.vesti.ru/fm/doc.html?id=348918- download:
www.vesti.ru/a/4093.wmaEvgeny Plushenko: While athletes and coaches will be silent, nothing can be changed
Russian coaches are leaving to work abroad, athletes do not see the money which are given for the development of figure skating. With his comments to Radio Vesti FM - Olympic silver medalist in Vancouver figure skater Evgeni Plushenko.Vesti FM: Evgeni, hello! There have been reports that you have decided to sell the car, gift from the President, because you need money to prepare for the upcoming season. Is this true?
- Plushenko: First of all, I want to thank our state, Dmitry Medvedev, Vladimir Putin, the Fund for the Olympians, for such generous gifts. I really want and intend to serve and compete for another 4 years to the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 and made the decision: Yes, this gift from the government I have decided to exchange for money and this money will be spent on costumes, to pay coaches, choreographers, coach PFD, I think it is reasonably, because I want to bring Russia more medals.
Vesti FM: Tell me, can you disclose such financial details: in general, how much money should be in full preparation for the Olympic Games?
- Plushenko: I think that is for everyone differently.
Vesti FM: Well, for you, specifically?
- Plushenko: There is a component of medicine, there are coaches on the PFD, there is rehabilitation, there are coaches and choreographers, a choreographer who puts the program, there are other choreographers who are constantly working with me. I think that each team, have different situations. If we expect any medals, it is, of course, huge, huge cost. I can not now specifically to give a figure, I think it would be wrong, but this is a huge, huge money. If we take the football or hockey, it is natural, for figure skating it is much less money.
Vesti FM: In Yakutsk are presented the "People's Gold Medal", which intend to deliver to you. Tell me how you feel about it, and will you go to get her?
- Plushenko: You know, thank you very much to all fans and all fans of figure skating, I feel this support is from the people, just from the people. Thanks a lot for this medal, to me it is very nice, and I'm ready, once again I say, ready to continue to compete. And many thanks to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, who congratulated me, and said that for us it's not silver, for Russia this is gold... and you know, after that, I want still to skate, compete, train and seek gold, real gold medals.
Vesti FM: You know, we discussed with the listeners on the air, after passed your performances, what happened to you, and your second place. Some pitied you and say that it is unfair, other listeners said that you not were 100% showed for all you capable. You are with this point of view agree?
- Plushenko: Well, I've watched several times my programs, and think that I skate very good, I've all done in the programs what was planned, and I think that spend too much time on this story is not necessary, they gave me a second place, so this mean - someone need gold medal more than me.
Once again I want to say that I have many medals, and gold and silver, not should be worry, must continuing fight, must defend my position, must work hard for country, my country. So, I even no longer want to return to the theme, it's already history. It should be forget, and with the new cool head open a new chapter of life and go, continue working.
Vesti FM: And one more question: Alexei Mishin said that can not compare you and those, who do not have name, no titles - I'm just quoting. About you, he said that you could row money with shovel, if you have not gone to the Olympics, but since you've decided to return on competition, to you should compensate material losses. Do you agree? Well, obviously we are talking about Russian fans, and of Russia as a state, that to you must compensate those losses which you carries, because you remain in sports and not doing commercial shows.
- Plushenko: I have said many times, that in figure skating is investing a lot of money, but this money simply do not see athletes and coaches, so I think that athletes should be titled to receive the normal money, right money. Coaches, who bring multiple Olympic champions, world champions, too, should receive the normal money, and not to move, because of a desperate situation abroad and train our rivals. If we take now, how many of our coaches went abroad, we can look at the Olympic Games, World Championships, how much now our Russian coaches will go with foreigners. And why did they go away? Because they offer the normal conditions, the right conditions. Maybe it's not some fabulous money, but normal, to live, to feed their families. There is a correct attitude towards these people - to the coaches. Here we must first of all with this, probably, to start.
Vesti FM: Evgeni, tell me, these problems were known and before the Olympics. Why you talk only after her, that money goes into the unknown?
- Plushenko: I think it is well known for over 30 years, I just, many called the "silent type", and this is a great coaches, a great specialists. Not all athletes can open mouth and say that there are problems, and, apparently, not all coaches are willing and ready to talk that there are difficulties and have problems. But while they not talk about it, nothing can be changed.
Edited by cekoni - 24/3/2010, 02:08
