Kawaguchi braves taunts to skate for Russia

Good for... How many excellent Russian Skaters have given up their citizenship to skate for the USA or othernations... or shamelessly use Russian coaches in all of the Olympic sports... So what's wrong with Kawaguchi getting Russian citizenship to skate for Russia... After all she has been using a top Russian coach for years to hone her talents and her partner is Russian... Why is it so different or wrong if Kawaguchi skates for Russia...

After all the Japanese (and the rest of the world) don't mind using Russian coaches in their bid to win a gold medal at the olympics....

Kawaguchi is just more honest...

Besides, the entire pairs and ice dance teams in America have used Russian coaches to train their skaters to attempt to win, leaving a lack of coaches and destroying Russian figure skating and other olympic programs as the world grabs Russian coaches and pretends that it is their know-how helping them win... So what's wrong with Kawaguchi skating for Russia with her Russian partner????

Of course Japane expects, the decade of Russian coaching and a Russian figure skater to take Japanese citizenship and skate for Japan... How phoney is that...

Today, the Olympics should have several flags to show the nationality of each skater,(in cases of pairs or ice dance) and the nationality of their coach when they hand out their medals...to show the huge boost American or world skating has gotten from Russian coaching...

Stefanya wrote:

Of course Japane expects, the decade of Russian coaching and a Russian figure skater to take Japanese citizenship and skate for Japan... How phoney is that...

She's an ethnic Japanese, not an ethnic Russian. She's betraying her homeland.

Ronald Dumbsfeld wrote:

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She's an ethnic Japanese, not an ethnic Russian. She's betraying her homeland.

The notions of 'betrayal' and 'homeland' are outdated.

There is nothing wrong in changing nationality, and there is no betrayal attached to that.

Strange comment coming from someone in the USA, a country made of people who left their countries to emigrate, and adopted a new citizenship.

Are all American forefathers traitors, then? We should be told!!

Ronald Dumbsfeld wrote:

<quoted text>
She's an ethnic Japanese, not an ethnic Russian. She's betraying her homeland.

And another thing, being Russian national doesn't mean that one has to be Russian ethnic; ethnicity and nationality are two completely different issues.

Russia has about 100 different ethnicities, from Tatar, to Udmurt, from Buryat to Ingush, from Chechen to Kalmyr, etc... and they are all citizen of the Russian Federation!!

Robespierre wrote:

<quoted text>
The notions of 'betrayal' and 'homeland' are outdated.
There is nothing wrong in changing nationality, and there is no betrayal attached to that.
Strange comment coming from someone in the USA, a country made of people who left their countries to emigrate, and adopted a new citizenship.
Are all American forefathers traitors, then? We should be told!!

You sure changed your nationality or was it your age, old fool?

Ronald Dumbsfeld wrote:

<quoted text>
She's an ethnic Japanese, not an ethnic Russian. She's betraying her homeland.

So then, the millions of people who become american citizens are betraying their homeland... As are all of those fabulous Russian coaches and partners who coach the entire world.

In that case those victories stolen by the Americans and the world are not American or Japanese victories as they need Russian coaches to teach them well enough to win something.... As I said... the Olympics should be handing out several medals for various countries... Just because an american or japanese or someone else wins something...well then, their Russian coaches should get a medal for Russia and so should their partners if they are Russian.... The west and the world sure dont' mind stealing knowhow which is not theirs...

That's why the Olympics are not worth watching.... and I don't ...It was much better when each country used their own athletes and their own knowhow...

Robespierre wrote:

<quoted text>
And another thing, being Russian national doesn't mean that one has to be Russian ethnic; ethnicity and nationality are two completely different issues.
Russia has about 100 different ethnicities, from Tatar, to Udmurt, from Buryat to Ingush, from Chechen to Kalmyr, etc... and they are all citizen of the Russian Federation!!

EXACTLY!!!! And as the world has stolen 95 percent of Russia's coaches and many of their athletes... who cares if some Japanese or american wins anything... they didn't do it without Russian help...

Lukashenko is Dr Phil wrote:

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You sure changed your nationality or was it your age, old fool?

YOu comment has nothing to do with his comment... all you do is make vicious personal attacks...

Stefanya wrote:

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YOu comment has nothing to do with his comment... all you do is make vicious personal attacks...

I think you better have to ignore that troll...

Robespierre wrote:

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I think you better have to ignore that troll...

I think you are probably right about that one...

Stefanya wrote:

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YOu comment has nothing to do with his comment... all you do is make vicious personal attacks...

I agree! I hope we don't see the kind of vicious personal attacks that we saw in the forum in 2006.

Kawaguchi did what she felt she needed to do to pursue what she loves. People have emmigrated to other countries for years "to pursue their dreams". The US is filled with immigrants who came to pursue an economic dream, political freedom or what, in their view, would be "a better life." For her, the dream is skating and that doesn't make it less legitimate. Whether it's living in your homeland and using a coach from another country or living in another country and using their coaches, it done in just about every sport. I think it is a shame that the lines have been blurred but it certainly isn't going to change now. I'll bet if it were the other way around and Kawaguchi's partner, Smirnov, became a Japanese citizen to compete for Japan, they (Japan) would use it to their advantage.

Speaking of skaters who train in other countries, does anyone think Yu-Na Kim's scores at Trophee Eric Bompard were somewhat inflated. She's an incredible skater, beautiful to watch and deserved to win but I think the scores were over the top considering she left out a jump in her freeskate.

I personally missed seeing Sasha compete. It will be interesting to see how she does in Skate America.

Well here's what it boils down to:

1. The pair trains in Russia (and probably live there for much of the year.

2. Her partner - half of the team - "Smirnoff" is Russian.

3. Their Coach is Russian.

4. They've already been skating for Russia.

So what makes the most sense, and is the most fair thing to do? Hmmmm...

I'm sure Japan isn't happy about losing her, but they should be reasonable.