"I don't need a circus on ice"

Roman Kostomarov has never been a moral standard and did not pretend to be a saint, remaining real, with all the flaws — and this has not changed after the terrible tragedy, coma and amputation of limbs. But now the Olympic champion is actively involved in charity work, and as part of the DobroFON Figure Skating Day, he conducted an excursion for visitors (many of whom were born clearly after Roman's victory in Olympic Turin 2006) at the Ice exhibition. Life" in the St. Petersburg space "Sevkabel Port". He also gave an interview to Izvestia and Sport-Express, in which he humorously sent greetings to Guillaume Cizeron, told him what question he would ask Alexander Ovechkin, and asked for forgiveness on Sunday, but with reservations.

"I try to exercise regularly, I go to the gym regularly"

— You can often be seen as a presenter, judge, and today you even conducted a tour. Have you adapted to the conversational genre?

— There is no limit to perfection. Everything is worked out with practice, with training, with the number of repetitions — as in any sport or any profession. The more often you do it, the better you get.

— And how do you do it?

— (Snorts) I wish I could feel free, like a fish in water. I would like to feel like I'm in a conversational genre, communicating with people and large audiences the same way I feel on ice. But in any case, this is not my main activity. I don't see myself as a permanent presenter in the future.

— Who is the standard presenter for you? Yagudin, maybe?

— (Laughs) Oh, Yagudin is wonderful! But the best presenters for me are Dmitry Nagiyev and Ivan Urgant.

— In the "Ice Age" you, sitting on the jury, said: "That's it, I'm coming back." Can I expect you at the Russian Challenge someday?

— Log out and roll back the demonstration number — please, easy! But not to compete with someone. (The skater's wife Oksana Domnina, standing nearby: "Wait, don't refuse, but what if?") And why do I need this? Any tournaments are over, all competitions are over for me. If I had my own legs and arms, maybe I would have participated in the Russian Challenge. Why not? His physical form allowed him to do this. But now it's irrelevant. I don't need a circus on ice.

— What kind of performances are you planning on ice?

— I will selectively take part in Ilya Averbukh's show, Tatiana Navka will have an anniversary on April 11-13. This is my native partner, she has a round date. It's going to be a great show. Yes, I don't perform as much as I used to, and I don't take part in New Year's parties. But I selectively ride in large-scale shows.

— Do you have a lot of sports in your life now?

— There used to be more. Now it's less, but I still try to practice regularly. I go to the gym.

— You spent a whole season at the Glacier as a judge. Which is more difficult — to perform or to give grades?

— Of course, it is more difficult to perform. Training sessions and hours on the ice are incomparable to sitting in the referee's chair. Yes, there is a certain responsibility in this case. But the stress of training and the hassle of performing is much harder.

"We are familiar with Ovechkin, but at the level of "hello— hello"

— Do you follow the Olympic selection?

— Of course, I have heard that some of our athletes will be allowed, but it is definitely not for me to choose who will go there and who will compete better. It's good that everything is coming back to this, perhaps soon we will be full-fledged participants in the Olympic Games, as we always have been.

— Ice dancing, do you like it at all?

— I followed several stages of the "Grand Prix" and the Russian Championship, it was probably the first time in 10-15 years that I watched figure skating live, thanks to the invitations of DobroFON. Usually on TV. I had a lot of my own work, tours, and public appearances. I can't reach my hands, my eyes. I won't open America, Stepanova/Bukin are the leaders, they won the Russian championship, they are already experienced, a solid couple. They stand out from everyone else. But there are young couples who are progressing, it is clear that the future belongs to them.

— Since we're talking about dancing, we can't help but ask you about Guillaume Cizeron's return to the ice with a new partner. You have a special relationship with him...

— I had no personal relationship with Sizeron at all, thank God (laughs)! Oh, you're talking about correspondence courses... What's wrong with coming back? Papadakis also performs on ice and also skates with a girl. Let him perform, let them do whatever they want in France or wherever they do it — in America, Canada. I don't keep track of them. If she likes riding with a girl, and he might want to ride with a boy, let them ride! I will not prevent this (the LGBT movement is recognized as extremist and banned in Russia. — Izvestia).

— You were asked about the "Athlete of the Year", and you said: "Ovechkin". He's got a few pucks left before Gretzky, and the results are coming up now...

— Yes, he has been getting results for 20 years! He's great. I see his race more through social media — there are so many goals left, now there are 10. And I always like it! Alexander is a great athlete, and not on the scale of Russia, but all over the world. A few are trying to update the NHL records, as well as the record of Wayne Gretzky. There are few such people in the world.

— Do you know each other?

— Familiar, but at the level of "hello— hello". There was no way to hug and chat. I think everything is ahead. Now he's going to get old, he's going to finish, and we're going to talk. I would ask him, "How did you come to live like this?" (laughs).

— We are talking to you on Forgiveness Sunday. Who would you ask for forgiveness from?

— Yes, for everyone! Everyone I've hurt and made uncomfortable. But today! On other days, no (laughs).