A.Mishin: From an artistic point of view, I didn't see anything new in Evgeny's competitors' programs at Europeans.
  Although, speaking  in general, Totmianina and Marinin, Butyrskaya and Abt, benefited from this event in time  for the coming up Olympics. 

 Q: Lately, there's been a lot of talk about Abt's progress. Did his successful skating this year surprise you? 

  A. Mishin: Sasha has always had a great potential but his injuries and illnesses held him back and didn't let him realize himself. Now he lives in the mountains, there is plenty of fresh air, organic food. That's why he is progressing... 

  Q: Do you consider him to be Plushenko's competitor at the Olympics? 
A.Mishin: Zhenya's main competitor is himself. Still, we take all the skaters very seriously. 

 Q: Can psychologist help in this situation? 
 A.Mishin: If an athlete needs help from a psychologist, it means he isn't all right. 

 Q: Plushenko's new free program, is it a psychological tactic? 
 A.Mishin: Judge for yourself. Nobody has been asking me about the old program, but as soon as some rumor started spreading that we abandoned it, my phone was ringing off the  hook. I think our new program will draw the same interest at the Olympics. 

 Q: So, you are saying that this program was in your plans? 
   A. Mishin: Ever since last summer we've been considering "Carmen" for the LP. Some work was even partially done. Now we decided to go back to this idea. 

 Q: Before the Europeans Tamara Moskvina sent out an official press release saying that this event wasn't in Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze's plans. Would it be right to say the same about  you? 
 A. Mishin: Zhenya got an injury. It's a real one - the groin injury. He had to get medical  treatment. Of course, we didn't need the Europeans in such situation. It appears to be a  right decision. Not all the skaters that competed in Lauzanne got it to their advantage. 

  Q: But if Plushenko is injured how can he practice? 
  A. Mishin: In practice we strongly follow all the recommendations given by doctors. Zhenya   also is undergoing medical treatment. 


 Interview by Vladimir Raush, Sovetsky Sport 




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