"Animals for training": Russian Olympic champion reveals the truth about the abuse of young athletes in Russia

Three-time Olympic champion in synchronized swimming Alla Shyshkina has criticized the famous figure skating coach Eteri Tutberidze. The 14-time world championship winner called the specialist's methods inhumane, as they are based on humiliation and violence.

Shyshkina said this in a comment to Sport24. The former synchronized skater noted that young Russian figure skaters are openly mocked, forcing them to undergo painful training, which then affects their health and morale.

"I am not at all familiar with her methodology. In Russia, the atmosphere of abusive relationships between coaches, parents and children is still very strong. A new generation has to come along that will be able to correct the situation with such harsh methods of training children. I have never been beaten at home or at training, and I don't think the ends justify the means. You need to talk to a child as a human being, he or she is not an animal to be trained. I'm not saying that Tutberidze beats anyone, but I don't like her tough approach," Shyshkina said.

Earlier, five-time world synchronized swimming champion Anastasia Arkhipovska said that she avoided speaking Russian while working as a coach in Croatia because of Ukrainians.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, Stanislava Komarova, the 2004 Olympic vice-champion in swimming, called Russian athletes who agree to compete in international tournaments in a neutral status "spit on".

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