Figure skating: Aljona Savchenko puts work with TJ Nyman on hold

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Aljona Savchenko at the edge of the ice rink (archive)

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Frank Rumpenhorst / dpa

Olympic champion Aljona Savchenko has suspended her comeback plans as a figure skater for the time being.

The project with the American TJ Nyman was "put on hold," said the 37-year-old in an interview with "Bild am Sonntag".

The reason for the decision is apparently an investigation against the 21-year-old by the organization SafeSport, which deals, among other things, with sexual assault in US sports.

“I only found out over time that both TJ and his trainer Dalilah Sappenfield had certain problems with SafeSport.

I knew both of them, but I did not collect any information about them and knew nothing about these problems, ”said Savchenko.

Since the beginning of May it has been clear that the 2018 Olympic pair skating champion will not continue her career with her successful partner Bruno Massot.

Savchenko had long hoped for a comeback together, but the native French decided for a professional future as a coach for family and health reasons.

Savchenko became an Olympic pair skating champion in Pyeongchang in 2018 with her partner Bruno Massot.

The native French ended his career this year.

In June, the native Ukrainian applied for and received approval from the German Ice Skating Union for the US federation.

"We wanted to try to compete in the 2022 World Cup, if everything went well," she said now.

What exactly Nyman is accused of, she does not know.

“I wanted to find out, but in response to all questions I was assured that there was nothing more serious behind it,” said Savchenko. “I spoke to both of them, I needed this clarity for me.

TJ assured me it wasn't serious, showed me a paper from SafeSport that everything was okay with him.

But I was still skeptical.

That's why I left earlier than planned. "

The US center for SafeSport has meanwhile made public sanctions against Nyman's trainer Dalilah Sappenfield for unspecified misconduct.

Coach after her active career

Savchenko hadn't actually planned an end to her career - despite ambitions for a future as a coach.

“I feel that I can still be very active, despite motherhood two years ago,” she said: “I can still show everything.

I could still work as a trainer.

But to be active as an athlete yourself?

I'm running out of time. "

ara / dpa / sid