Ilya Averbukh said that skating between Shcherbakova and Tuktamysheva should not be done
Photo: Alexander Podgorchuk / Kommersant
Choreographer Ilya Averbukh responded to the offer of two-time Olympic champion Evgeny Plushenko to hold a tournament between Anna Shcherbakova and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva to determine a place in the Russian national team. His words are quoted by RIA Novosti.
“You shouldn't do any rentals. We need to let the girls calmly prepare for the European Championship, ”Averbukh said. He added that the composition of the team for the tournament has already been formed. According to the choreographer, if one of the Russian skaters fails the tournament, the federation may consider a replacement.
Earlier on December 29, Plushenko criticized the refereeing at the Russian Championship in St. Petersburg. The specialist called the assessments given by the arbitrators to Shcherbakova unfair. He considered that the figure skater was given premiums for titles, and drew attention to the fact that Tuktamysheva had no less victories.
At the upcoming European Championship, the Russian team will be represented by Kamila Valieva, Alexandra Trusova and Shcherbakova. Tuktamysheva was included in the list of substitutes for the tournament. The national team was formed on the basis of the results shown at the Russian championship, where Valieva took first place, Trusova became the silver medalist, and Shcherbakova showed the third result. Tuktamysheva is in seventh place.
