This is an TV interview from the Russian tv show "Inversija" in May 2003 Q: Welcome, Evgeni. Evgeni: Hello. Q: On the 6th of June the best figure skaters of the world, the best Russian figure skaters, which is the same, will meet together. Evgeni: Yes, you may say that. There won’t be any foreign skaters participating in the show. The best Russian skaters will arrive. There will be Irina Sluzkaya, Anton Sikharulidze and Elena Berezhnaya, Artur Dmitriev and Oksana Kozakova. Igor Korneliuk, a wonderful singer and composer, and “Bely Orel” [that is Russian band, translation is White Eagle] also will be present. Q: So you plan such an ice-show? Evgeni: Yes, it’ll be a show of the Russian skaters together with the Russian singers. Q: One can say it’s the way the Russian skaters congratulate their city on the anniversary. Evgeni: Yes, it’ll be a present to our remarkable city. It’ll be 300. (of St.Petersburg). Q: You said “to our city”. You’ve been studying at Lesgaft’s for several years only and you already say “our”. Evgeni: It’s my city without doubt. I love it and miss it very much when away. I have to travel a lot. Q: You’ve just arrived from the USA... Evgeni: I came for three days. I’m engaged in one of the most famous tours “Champions on Ice”. Q: Do you get money for that? I mean is that some kind of a business tour? Evgeni: Yes, it’s a business one. Q: Our newspapers and magazines often say that there are performances for professionals to take part in and there are competitions for amateurs. Are the distinctions being eliminated now? Do the amateurs have right to get money for skating on public and professionals to take part in Olympic Games or World Championships? Evgeni: Amateur can take part in any competitions, any shows, if he’s invited, and get any money he wants. Professionals can’t take part in the competitions alongside with the amateurs. Q: Is there a special rule? Evgeni: Yes, of course. Q: Why it is so? Evgeni: So are the traditional rules. Q: Tell me please, there have been a lot of talks and articles recently about figure skating and creating some kind of an alternative figure skating association... Evgeni: Well I heard something but.... Q: ...but didn’t participate. Evgeni: ... but didn’t participate. It’s of no interest for me. My job is pleasing the public and getting the medals for Russia. Getting gold medals for Russia. That’s what I do. Q: Evgeni, please, tell what gold medals are you going to win for us in the nearest future? Evgeni: This season has been over. I won all the competitions, which took place. I plan to keep moving, to continue skating till next Olympic Games. My goal is to win every competition I participate in, my goal is to be number one. Q: Assuming in 2006 you win Olympic Games, then what? Evgeni: God willing everything is OK and I win Olympic Games... Q: Let’s knock. [it’s Russian tradition to knock at something wooden when someone talks about future things which he wants to take place. Russians believe if they don’t knock at something wooden after mentioning future event that even’t won’t happen] Evgeni: Let’s knock. And spit away. (“to spit away" – that is the same Russian tradition but there is one moment: you have to pretend spitting after knocking at something wooden). So if I win, I’ll decide then what to do next. Francly speaking I plan to stay amateur. If everything is Ok with my health and there are no traumas, I will be glad to stay amateur. Q: Who are the people you work with? I mean that each skater of your level has some sort of a team. Coach, assistant, designer, composer etc. Evgeni: Sure we’ve got a team. We’ve been working together for 6 years... Q: So it has never been changed fundamentally? Evgeni: It changes from time to time, but only the choreographers. The others stay. My designer (costumes) is Irina Safronova, composer is Igor Korneliuk, he created the music for my free skate. Aleksey Nikolaevich Mishin – he is my only coach. If you ask about the choreographers we worked with, I can name David Maldyshev, Edward Smirnov, Valeriy Mikhailovsky, Simenov. In short, we’ve got a small friendly team. Q: What about your competitors and rivals for the next seasons? Evgeni: Every skater is a competitor. Q: I mean only seroious, high on the list skaters, who can be 2nd, 3d. Evgeni: Well, I came to the World Championship and a lot of people used to say: “You have won all the competitions of this season. It is not interesting for you, is it? You have no competitors.” I used to reply: “It’s not true. It’s sport. One little mistake and you fail. I have no right to make a single mistake.” I can name you my rivals: they are Alekei Yagudin, Timothy Goebel, Michael Weiss, skaters from China, France, Japan... Q: Even the Japanese?? (surprised) Evgeni: Yes. Takeshi Honda is among the winners of the World Championship. He can execute several quadruples and some other very complicated elements. It’s not easy at all to compete. Q: You mean you have worthy competitors. Evgeni: Yes, of course. It’s sport. Sport isn’t a stagnant thing, it is making progress constantly. Q: What about our country? Are there any changes in figure skating? Is it on the rise? Evgeni: It is on the rise undoubtedly. Let’s recall last Olympic Games, World Championship, European Championchip... Q: Last Olympic Games have after-pains... Evgeni: Well, Yes. It’s a peculiar case and a separate topic. The Russians are always among the best anyhow. Q: What’s the reason? Have you ever asked yourself? Despite all the economic and political problems... Evgeni: ...that is the reason, I suppose. Q: Too many obstacles? Evgeni: Yes. (you know that Russia has a lot of problems and difficulties. Evgeni wants to say that all these difficulties are useful, because they help to harden your character) I should add: the situation is changing rapidly. Conditions became much better. New rinks, choreographical halls, cloakrooms were created. The conditions are not so severe as they used to be several years ago. For instance 5 years ago I had to put on two pullovers, a wooly hat and gloves. Q: Was it cold? Evgeni: Yes, it was extremely cold, unreal conditions to skate. Ice was awful. It wasn’t refreshed for a long time. As I have said the situation is changing rapidly. I think now we have the conditions even the Americans can be envious of. Q: You mean our Palace of Sports..? Evgeni: Yes, Palace of Sports including. Q: Evgeni, tell me please about relations with your fans. Do you have some sort of organization? I mean press secretary, press-attashe... I know you have a site in the Internet. Evgeni: My good friend created that site. He talked to me and said: “You should have your own site”. I answered: “Go ahead! If you can do that, it’s a super idea.” He created. I don’t have any press-secretaries. Q: So you have to communicate with my colleagues directly? Evgeni: I don’t have any press secretaries, but I do have my agent. Even two agents. Aleksey Nikolaevich Mishin – my coach-agent and Ari Zakaryan, he is my agent. Q: So there is a system? Evgeni: Yes, of course. Q: Does it happen sometimes that you go to the rink to skate just for pleasure? Evgeni: Yes, it happens sometimes. I go to the SKA when I have free time, especially in summer. Q: What is the most interesting thing that people want to know when they meet you on the rink, when they skate and come across the champion...? Evgeni: I’ll tell you the story. I came to the SKA late at night, it was minight I suppose. There were a lot of people. I stood through the line, came to the cash desk to take the skates, because I had left mine at home. [in Russia you can hire the skates when you go to the rink]. So the cashier, it was a woman, told me: “Your documents, please.” [in Russia to hire the skates you have to pawn your passport]. There were a lot of my friends, 10 or 15, we went all together to skate. And nobody had documents with him. I told the cashier: “I’ve got my driving license and cell-phone on me...”. She looked at me in wide-eyed astonishment: “You must pay, then take off your jackets and only then you may go skating”. As a rule people recognize me and smile. It’s pleasing for me and for them too, I guess. Q: Hm... recognize but not everybody. Rink-worker didn’t recognize! (the questioner is surprised). Tell me please, Evgeni, children are told to experience lack of rinks in our country, is it true? Evgeni: Yes, it is. Even our Jubilee Palace of Sports is overcrowded. Children have to conduct their trainings in the cloakrooms, corridors and foyers. Of couse new palaces should be built. I know that the Figure Skating Academy will have been built by the New Year. It’s a big plus for us. We have to develop the figue skating. Q: Do you remember your first rink? Evgeni: I remember... Q: In the court? Evgeni: I don’t remember exactly. My Mum told me it was outside. There was not a rink, just winter ice. If you ask about my first real rink, it was in Volgograd. I came there, watched the children skating and told my Mum: “I like it very much”. We went to the coach and he accepted me. Q: How easy was the process at that time.. a boy liked, decided to skate a little bit, came up to the coach and the coach accepted him... Today everything must be much more difficult.... So on the 6th of June your show takes place. Evgeni: Yes, on the 6th of June, to mark the city’s anniversary. I consider it to be a present for our city. Q: At white time does it start? Evgeni: At 7. Q: Thank you very much, Evgeni. As far as I know now you are going to take the plane and fly to the USA. Evgeni: Yes. Q: Thank you for calling in.   Translation by Daniel