Скачать или смотреть The FACT: How Denis Ten Interfered with Yuzuru at the Worlds

UPDATE (July 27, 2018): Denis passed away on July 19, 2018, murdered in a violent carjacking attempt. We stand by what we’ve published so there will be no erasure of historical accounts, but I believe we can all move on from this. Despite past differences, I hope we can all join and mourn the loss of an athlete whose contributions to winter sports in Kazakhstan stand unparalleled.

---------------------------------------------------
On March 30, 2016, skaters Yuzuru Hanyu and Denis Ten almost collided during Yuzuru’s SP run-through at the practice rink for the Boston World Championships. Yuzuru swerved out of the way last second but yelled at Denis in anger. He explained afterwards that Denis had twice gotten in his way the day before, again during Yuzuru’s SP run-through, as well as a year ago during the 2015 World Championships in Shanghai (sportiva, April 1, 2016). Clips from different angles, submitted by audiences present on the 29th (the day before the almost-collision) and during the 2015 World Championships, support Yuzuru’s account and represent our take on the incident.

Mar 29, 2016
— Denis was twice in Yuzuru’s way during Yuzuru's SP run-through at the main rink practice session
— Post-practice, Yuzuru privately approached Denis about the interruptions. Denis suggested that “maybe the rink is smaller” but was overall unconcerned (icenetwork, March 31, 2016)

Mar 30
— Yuzuru was setting up for a Triple Axel during his SP run-through when Denis started his spin right in his path. Yuzuru ended up diverting from his path last second. Denis continued his spin. Yuzuru punched the wall and yelled at Denis, “Was that really necessary?" (nbcsports, March 31, 2016)
— JSF has considered to file a petition to ISU calling for a warning against Denis (Jackie Wong on- site report, March 31, 2016)

Mar 31 - Apr 02
— Brian Orser, Yuzuru's coach: "When somebody is doing their program, they have the right of way, that's a simple unwritten rule." (icenetwork, March 31, 2016)
— Yuzuru: “I guess he himself also felt a bit tense, but I had the feeling it was probably intentional. Reviewing the footages afterwards, (I saw that) he had checked in my direction, and then went into his spin from a different direction than the one so far. At practice yesterday too, during my step sequence, he clearly went in my way. Before the short program at last year’s world championships too, there was the time when, even though I had fallen, he took off for a quad into (where I was). However, beyond such feelings, for me to have gotten angry over such things — I felt strongly that was no good” (Sportiva, April 1, 2016)
— Frank Caroll, Denis’ coach, believes that “nobody is at fault” but added that Yuzuru (1) exhibited “a pattern of collisions” and (2) “had enough time to get ready and adapt” because the Triple Axel is launched face-forwad and normally takes “a long way from the end of the rink to its center” to set up.” (vesti.kz, April 1, 2016)
** Note: while what Frank described may be the norm, Yuzuru's Axel has an exceptionally short setup and is notably entered from a back-counter which affords him close to zero forward-facing time.
— Denis' message on his IG: "The only apology I want to make is to my support team for the fact that this season has been so difficult." (IG@tenis_den, April 2, 2016)

Apr 03
— Yuzuru had approached Denis to reconcile. Denis accepted (Japan Times, April 4, 2016)

Apr 04
— As Yuzuru and Denis themselves have reconciled, the Japanese federation did not end up filing a complaint.

** Neither NSFRK (Kazakhstan Fed) nor JSF issued official apologies in acceptance of blame over the incident

---------------------------------------------------
news references:
icenetwork, March 31, 2016. https://tinyurl.com/ybe587sa
nbcsports, March 31, 2016. https://tinyurl.com/h96mlms
sportiva, April 1, 2016. https://tinyurl.com/zeeca4l
vesti.kz, April 1, 2016. https://tinyurl.com/yaas5qs8
Japan Times, April 4, 2016. https://tinyurl.com/yd4wggbn
Jackie Wong on-site report, March 31, 2016. https://tinyurl.com/yayt2pgw