Coach Leonova said that figure skating in the USA has ceased to be considered a sport
Russian coach Elena Leonova spoke about working in the USA. Her words are quoted by RT.
The specialist said that the attitude of Americans towards figure skating has changed for the worse. “Figure skating is no longer considered a sport. Even ice activities with children are now called “activitis,” she emphasized.
According to Leonova, figure skating is not very popular in the United States. In addition, it does not provide advantages when entering higher education institutions.
Leonova is a two-time world champion among juniors in pair skating in a duet with Andrei Khvalko. In 2017, she moved to Maryland to work at the Alexey Kilyakov Figure Skating School in Washington.
In 2020, the coach of Olympic champion Nathan Chen, Rafael Harutyunyan, named the reasons for moving from Russia to the USA. He said that in the States he began to earn many times more. He added that in the United States, coaches and athletes do not need bonuses and gifts from the state, since they can monetize their victories through performances in shows, advertising contracts and sponsorship income.
Source: Lenta
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