‘We do not entice athletes by offering alluring prospects’: Tutberidze’s team reacts to Alexandra Trusova’s exit

Representatives of Eteri Tutberidze’s training team have commented on Alexandra Trusova’s decision to leave the group, unequivocally hinting that she has accepted more “enticing” terms from Evgeni Plushenko.

On Wednesday, it became known that two-time world junior champion Trusova joined Plushenko’s figure skating academy, ending a four-year partnership with Tutberidze.

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The skater decided to make a career-changing decision citing poor results during the season and lack of attention from the coaching staff as the reasons for the split.

Tutberidze’s squad, which has lost their third top-class skater in the last six years, were quick to react, saying their team creates, not lures, champions.

“Of course, it’s impossible to adjust to the fact that athletes are leaving you,” the team said. “Because we’ve become a true family by working together and overcoming difficulties emerging on our way. Good athletes and sports specialists will always be offered to work on better terms. How to react to those proposals – it’s a matter of a person’s own choice.”

“Our team differs from others because we raise and create those athletes and specialists. Of course, we will not entice athletes by offering alluring prospects, otherwise our trust will be lost. Working together we give part of our life and part of ourselves away.”

Earlier this year, Tutberidze and Plushenko were embroiled in a social media spat after another one of Tutberidze’s skaters, Alina Zagitova, announced a break in her competitive career.

At the time, Plushenko accused his counterpart of treating young skaters as winning machines, ignoring their true feelings. Tutberidze replied that Plushenko hasn’t raised any champions for him to be called a figure skating coach, and that he only focuses on the financial aspects of the sport, trying to earn money through various shows.