The Canadian figure skater did not associate the decline in competition with the non-admission of Russians to tournaments
Canadian figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek spoke about competition in international tournaments in the absence of Russians. Her words are quoted by Sport24.
The athlete noted that in the 2022/2023 season there was a decline in the competition of sports couples, but did not associate this with the exclusion of the Russian team. “The reason is that over the past four years, all the skaters who skated between the ages of 20 and 30 retired,” Stellato-Dudek explained. She added that the aggravation of rivalry and the development of figure skating is a wave-like process, so a natural increase will follow the decline.
39-year-old Stellato-Dudek is the bronze medalist of the 2023 Four Continents Championships, as well as the owner of the gold and silver medals of the Grand Prix stages. The figure skater was born and began her career in the United States in single skating. In 2000, she retired from sports and became a cosmetologist, but returned after 16 years, changed sports citizenship twice and now competes in pair skating for Canada with Maxime Deschamps.
On March 1 last year, the ISU banned Russians from participating in competitions under its auspices. Due to sanctions, athletes in 2022 could not take part in the adult world championship, as well as in the junior world championship.
Source: Lenta
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