The current champion of Europe Alena Kostornaya after failing in the final of the Russian Cup (6th place) and not being included in the Russian national team for the 2021 World Cup, she decided to return to Eteri Tutberidze … The coach, from whom the 17-year-old athlete left six months ago to Evgenia Plushenko.
However, the return cannot yet take place officially because of the contractual obligations of Kostornaya's mother to the Angela Plushenko Academy. "Sports Day by Day" tells what is known at the moment.
Kostornaya: understand and forgive. Return to Tutberidze - exit for Alena
Before the 2020/21 season, Alena Kostornaya was a figure skater at the Sambo-70 school, the Khrustalny department, training with Eteri Tutberidze. Together with her, she won the final of the 2019/20 Grand Prix series, became the 2020 European champion, and won the silver of the 2020 Russian championship.
Last season, Kostornaya won five of the six tournaments in which she took part. She became the first single skater in the history of figure skating to break 85 points in the short program and 247 points overall. That allowed her to become the owner of two world records for these indicators.
However, the lack of training in the summer of 2020 due to closed skating rinks (the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic) led to the fact that Kostornaya lost her main element in the programs - the triple axel. In addition, Alena could not get in shape, she changed programs - four in six months. And in December, she passed a positive test for COVID-2019, which is why she missed the Russian championship. According to the results of the Chechen Republic, figure skaters were determined who would be able to represent Russia at the World Championships in Sweden. Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova received this right.
At the end of February, Kostornaya took part in the last qualifying tournament for the 2021 World Cup - the Russian Cup final. However, it became only the sixth. According to Plushenko, he wanted to remove Alena from the tournament: after the coronavirus, she had a sore throat for a long time, the athlete could not train. But Kostornaya refused, said she would fight. This turned into tears live on Channel One after the short program and the words to the coaches: "After today, tomorrow is gone."
After the short program, there were talks that Kostornaya might act in a free program. But Alena herself decided to continue skating. There was no break in relations. Plushenko talked about a joint future: “In our sport, it is important to be healthy. But I know Alena is ready to master the quadruple jump. But a little later, a little later. We will not leave Alena, we are together, as they say, in joy and sorrow. We are close."
After the free program, Alena will say that what happened is "not the end of the world." She will also add that if she previously thought to end her career after the 2022 Olympics, now she is thinking of staying. Plushenko continued to praise the ward for the struggle and added: "Since she said that she has a desire to continue performing, then we will plow."
On March 1, it became known that Kostornaya is the first substitute at the 2021 World Cup. She will be able to perform in Stockholm if something suddenly happens to Shcherbakova, Trusova or Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, to whom Alena lost her ticket to Stockholm in the Cup final.
And already on March 3, the first rumors appeared about Kostornaya's return to Tutberidze. At first it seemed that this was something unreal, but then it became clear: the transfer is very possible. As confirmed by the director of "Sambo-70" Renat Laishev.
Telesport began to provide details: Kostornaya terminated cooperation with the Plushenko Academy unilaterally, without telling anyone. I went to the meeting with Tutberidze alone, without my mother. Immediately, the coach Rozanov on Instagram dismissed all the speculations on the topic and his possible return to "Khrustalny". Alena announced her decision to Plushenko only on March 5.
On March 4, Plushenko said: “If she decided to return to the previous team, I don't see anything wrong with that. Letting go with a crystal-crystal conscience. And his wife Yana Rudkovskaya added Sport24 that Kostornaya's departure gives her “relief”. She made it clear: Alena was not physically ready for training, but instead of recovery she was eager to compete. And henceforth, she will urge Plushenko to be more careful about the health of the skaters passing to them.
But the most important thing became known later. It turns out that Kostornaya cannot just go and return to Khrustalny. Although figure skating does not have a contract system like football or hockey. But according to the choreographer of "Khrustalny" Daniel Gleichengauz, "There are financial nuances."
Plushenko denied this. "SE" he said that Kostornaya has no contractual obligations to him, all the sponsors that Alena managed to find remain with her, Plushenko and Rudkovskaya do not receive a dime. “In many cases, coaches and managers would take money for services, sponsorship. We are not going to do this, we are not going to do this,”- noted Yevgeny Viktorovich.
But Yana Rudkovskaya has a different attitude. She's the producer, in case anyone's forgotten. Yes, Kostornaya herself does not have a contract with Plushenko. She is 17 years old, it is prohibited by law. But mom Kostornaya has a contract with Angels Plushenko. “A certain amount of work has been done, the costs for it need to be compensated. And then the question is for the club to which she leaves. If they really want Alena Kostornaya, if they need her, the club will pay. Well, or someone will pay. Further - the work of lawyers ", - said Rudkovskaya" SE ".
No specific amounts are mentioned. Recall that one of the reasons for Kostornaya's departure from Khrustalny was the need to train on the same ice with the girls born in 2010. Alena didn't like it, she wanted more free space. Especially considering the new status - European champion. Tutberidze refused to go for it. Plushenko agreed to create conditions under which the group will have at least a person on the ice at the same time. This influenced other skaters, Ekaterina Ryabova and Stanislav Konstantinov left the Plushenko Academy.
Kostornaya had to be treated, she was recovering from various injuries. In addition, Plushenko has built a new skating rink in the Moscow region. Next to it, cottages were built in which the best skaters of the Academy were supposed to live - Kostornaya, Trusova
It is possible that we are talking about exactly these expenses, prescribed in the contract with Kostornaya's mother: training, travel expenses and accommodation in Kazan, where Alena performed at the fourth stage of the Russian Cup, medical support, costumes, programs
It is important to remind that the Federation did not officially allow Kostornaya to pass to Plushenko last summer. Because it was not done during the transfer period. Kostornaya still represents Sambo-70. The federation paid part of the costs of training Kostornaya as a member of the Russian national team; no money went to Angels Plushenko. "Sambo-70" for Kostornaya, which on paper is still related to the school, received a certain state rate. Although Alena has not represented them for the last six months. True, Laishev calls the amount of this bet “ridiculous”.
The bottom line is the following situation: Rudkovskaya wants to receive compensation from Kostornaya, Sambo-70 or someone else for a number of financial expenses incurred by Angels Plushenko. Nobody bothers Alena herself to start training with Tutberidze now, her mother signed the contract with the "Angels".
But in "Sambo-70" they want to be sure that they will not have to settle accounts with Rudkovskaya. Therefore, “officially” Kostornaya has not yet returned. On the other fronts, everything is in order: Alena has already parted with Plushenko amicably, met with Tutberidze and her headquarters and asked to return.
Eteri Georgievna in September last year already took pity on Evgenia Medvedeva, allowing her to return. Now I'm ready to do the same for Kostornaya. On special conditions, of course, because now Kamila Valieva, Daria Usacheva and Maya Khromykh, who are moving into adults at the end of the season, require more time. But if Alena is ready for the status of an ordinary student, and not a European champion, in "Khrustalny" they are ready to give her a second chance.
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