Kim Yu-na's 'Russian doping scandal' leader, who also made 'direct criticism', shamelessly strides on the Olympic stage... "I didn't even imagine it."" an outburst of anger [Milan Olympics]

*This content was translated by AI.

Coach Eteri Tutberidze, 52, who shocked the world with a doping scandal during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has been at the center of a fierce controversy as he reappeared at the site of the 2026 Milan/Cortina D'Ampezzo Winter Olympics. Criticism is still pouring in locally over Tutberidze's return to the Olympic stage.

British media 'BBC' reported on the 9th (Korea Standard Time) that "Tutberidze was criticized as a creepy cold person in the past," adding, "It was difficult to imagine that he would return to the best stage in sports."

Tutberidze, who was at the center of the controversy over the doping scandal at the last competition, will coach the Georgia figure skating team at the Olympics. Regarding the local atmosphere, the 'BBC' said, "The Tutberidze's teaching method remains coercive. Georgia's national team was booed by the crowd for the presence of coach Tutberidze at the time of entering," he said.

Tutberidze led the Georgia team to the Milan Ice Skating Arena. I watched the contest of the penitent Nika Egaze from the rinkside, but when Egaze collapsed due to a series of jump mistakes in team short and free skating, I kept my arms crossed and looked cold.

Tutberidze's pupil suffered an all-time slump. Egaze left the link with only 154.79 points, 27 points lower than the season high. Regarding this, 'BBC' said, "The hug that Tutberidze gave was very curt. While the entire Georgia team was waiting for the score to be announced, a negative atmosphere was detected within the team, with heavy static flowing."

There was even a controversy over the trick map. "Tutberidze is known as the leader of Adeliya Petrosian, who competed as a neutral player (AIN), but he was not listed in the official media guide," the BBC pointed out.

Vitolt Vanka, president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), said, "I don't feel comfortable that Tutberidze is here," adding, "It is deplorable that there is no legal basis to prevent him from attending because we cannot find specific evidence of his participation in doping."

He is also a leader involved in an incident that angered even Kim Yu-na in the past. Valieva, a student of Tutberidze during the Beijing Games, caused a stir by pushing ahead with her participation in the individual competition even after she was confirmed to be positive for trimetazidine, a banned drug. At the time, Kim Yu-na said on her personal social networking service (SNS), "A player who violates doping cannot participate in the game. This principle must be observed without exception," he said, strongly criticizing it.

Valieva, the party to the scandal, did not make it to the Olympics. Valieva returned through the Russian Jump Championships shortly after her four-year suspension expired in December 2025, but she failed to qualify for Milan because the disciplinary period overlapped with the Olympic qualifying period. Valieva was humiliated in sixth place on the return stage due to poor jumps and other mistakes.

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*This content was translated by AI.