LOS ANGELES — The Yubileyny Sports Palace is a round pile of concrete that’s as symbolic of the old Soviet Union as a hammer and sickle waving in the snow. It was built in 1967 as a present from the Federation of Trade Unions to the city of St. Petersburg on the 50th anniversary of Soviet power.
In Soviet times, sport was the welcome mat to communism and figure skating was its beautiful hostess. If all the great champions who had skated and trained at Yubileyny gathered there at one time, there wouldn’t be enough ice left for a vodka tonic.
But on a cold morning two months ago, the ice in Yubileyny was a symbol only of Russia’s skating past and future, not its present. There was Evgeni Plushenko, the 26-year-old defending Olympic champion and three-time world champion, doing triple jumps. Surrounding him were a gaggle of Russian tots from 5 to 15 all doing spins of various proficiency and cuteness.
Skaters in their late teens and early 20s, the ones who should be competing for more titles this week at the World Championships in Los Angeles, were nowhere to be seen.
Since the 2006 Turin Olympics, Russian skaters have seemingly gone into exile. A country that has dominated the sport for decades is now playing catchup. To wit:
• Russian or Soviet men have won the last five Olympic gold medals but did not place higher than 15th in the past two world championships. Its highest-rated performer in L.A. is Sergie Voronov at 19th.
• In the past four Olympics, Russian or Ukraine women have won gold, silver and a bronze, yet the highest-placed Russian at the last two worlds was 13th. Alena Leonova, at 17th, is the highest-rated Russian today and the only one in the top 40.
• Russian pairs have won gold in the last 12 Olympics. At the last two worlds, they have only one medal. They have no team ranked higher than fourth.
• Russian ice dancers have won five of the past six Olympic golds but just one medal at the last two worlds. Second-ranked Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, who were first after Tuesday’s compulsory dance, are the lone Russians favored to medal this week.
“It’s really sad,” said Oleg Vasiliev, who coached Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin to Olympic pairs gold in Turin. “The last 40-50 years, Russian figure skating was dominating. I feel uncomfortable when our figure skaters are fighting for a place in the top 10.”
The downfall is a direct result of a troubled economy. When perestroika completed the bridge from communism to capitalism in 1991, the Russian economy nose-dived. By 1994, inflation had risen 224 percent and the ruble had gone down 27 percent.
Russian coaches, such as Vasiliev, fled abroad to make a living.
“It is not possible to divide sport from other social life,” said Alexei Mishin, who has coached three Russian Olympic men champions.
No Russian athlete’s life changed more than a figure skater’s. Next to equestrian, it’s the most expensive sport in the Olympics. Said Elena Garanina, an ice dancer for USSR in the ’70s and ’80s: “When I was skating I had everything for free. Ice for free. Skates for free. Costumes for free. Now it’s different. They have to pay for everything. When they get medal, then they get money.”
“We lost six or seven years of young skaters,” Vasiliev said. “We lost a generation. . . . Now we have to invite from abroad to cover this hole.”
However, Russians say signs point to a turnaround. After Russians nearly swept the Turin Olympics, ice shows filled Russian television. Russian mothers began taking their children to the rinks again. Rus Telecom has signed on as a major sponsor. Prime minister Vladimir Putin has pledged more money. And young talent is on the horizon.
“The future is good,” said Tamara Moskvina, who has coached four Olympic champions. “There are so many skaters going to the rink. The government is building rinks. Quantity will be transferred into quality.”
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com
World Figure Skating Championships
Staples Center in Los Angeles
Wednesday: Men’s short program;
pairs free skate
Thursday: Original dance; men’s
free skate
Friday: Ladies short program; free
dance
Saturday: Ladies free skate
Sunday: Exhibition
