Coach Raimo Reinsalu has appealed to the International Skating Union (ISU) demanding the cancellation of the disqualification imposed on him on February 7 for the figure skating competitions of the Winter Olympics in Milan, Reinsalu told the bb.lv portal.
Reinsalu claims that this is a deliberate attempt to influence the emotional state of Latvia's Olympic athletes before important competitions for them.
Today, the ISU filed a complaint against R. Reinsalu with the ISU Disciplinary Commission; the complaint is related to a former student of the coach. Interestingly, R. Reinsalu was offered to submit a written response within 21 days, however, the disqualification was applied immediately.
R. Reinsalu trains Latvian figure skater Fedor Kulish. He (Reinsalu) has already reported suspicions that his disqualification is the result of machinations by competitors.
It should be noted that at the end of January, the State Police of Latvia initiated a criminal process on suspicion of abuse and violence against a minor in sports — two-time Latvian figure skating champion Sofia Stepchenko. The athlete accuses her former coach Olga Kovalchuk of emotional abuse, and Estonian coach Raimo Reinsalu of physical and psychological abuse. The coaches deny the accusations.
No individual has been assigned the status of a suspect.
