'Coaches hit me with pads' - 2018 champion Aljona Savchenko opens up on skating trauma - Winter Olympics

Aljona Savchenko, one of the world’s most decorated pair skaters and a gold medallist in Pyeongchang four years ago, has opened up on some of the traumatic events she experienced during her career. Savchenko was pairs champion alongside Bruno Massot in 2018 and won three Olymic medals in total as well as countless World and European trophies.

Ad/> On Friday she spoke of how she cried at seeing Kamila Valieva miss out on a medal in the ladies' singles, as well as reprimanding coach Eteri Tutberidze for not «even giving her a hug» when Valieva came off the ice, in a response which also drew criticism from IOC president Thomas Bach. Figure SkatingChen overcomes fall to win Grand Prix Final title09/12/2017 AT 13:32 Valieva, 15, missed out on a medal after falling during her free skating routine, having topped the leaderboard at the start of the final day of competition.

It was a sad end to a tremendously difficult Olympic Games which has seen Valieva at the centre of a doping controversy after it was revealed that she had tested positive for a banned substance on December 25. Valieva may yet lose the gold medal she won in the team event, pending a second ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Savchenko strongly believes change is needed and with Valieva’s entourage set to be investigated in line with IOC protocols, she wants the situation involving the Russian teenager to be used to ignite further debate about the future of coaching young, talented athletes. Former figure skater Adam Rippon told Eurosport this week that he wanted the minimum competition age to be raised to 18, with IOC president Bach saying it would be looked at.