2002 Olympic champion Yagudin charged with DUI

[joeybee12]

AVON, Conn., Sept. 1 — Olympic gold medalist Alexei Yagudin was charged Sunday with drunken driving after being pulled over for speeding.
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Rest of the article follows. Why is it always the Russians? Anyone else remember Oksana Bauil and all her drinking after her (undeserved) gold medal? I keep thinking of "the comdey stylings of Bart Simpson" on the episode where the Olympic Committee comes to Springfield. Bart goes up to the Russian guy and asks for the time. It's 11 a.m., and Bart asks if he's drunk yet, and the Russian offical shamefully hangs his head and says "Dah."



Yagudin, 23, who trains at the International Skating Center of Connecticut in nearby Simsbury, was driving his 2003 Mercedes when he was stopped by an Avon police officer at about 12:40 a.m. The four-time world champion was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, traveling too fast and making an improper lane change without signaling.
Yagudin was released on a $250 bond. He is to appear in Hartford Superior Court on Sept. 10.
Sgt. Ronald Welch said an officer saw Yagudin driving at a high speed above the 40 mph speed limit. He said Yagudin's exact speed was undetermined.
Welch declined to say how police determined Yagudin was intoxicated, whether it was from a blood-alcohol test or a field sobriety exam. He would only say the skater's blood-alcohol content level was above the legal threshold of 0.08.
Police said Yagudin was cooperative. He was released two hours after his arrest.
Yagudin, who was born in Russia, could not be reached for comment. A message was left with his agent.
In 1999, the Russian Skating Federation put Yagudin on probation for one year for improper behavior during the Champions on Ice tour. Doctors in Russia who examined him rejected speculation Yagudin's disorderly behavior was caused by heavy drinking.
Yagudin, then 19, was thrown off the Champions tour after cursing a member of the media. Before that, he made off-color remarks to a security guard at an ice show in New York.
In the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Yagudin received four 6.0 scores. No other man in Olympic history ever earned more than one perfect mark.
Yagudin missed last season with a hip injury, but is planning to compete this season.

[Plaid Adder]

1. NOOOO! Not my boy Alexei!!

Say it ain't so!

I'm not sayin' Alexei hasn't had his problems, but when he's on he is the best male skater out there. Stop drinkin' and hot-roddin' and get back on the ice, Alexei! Don't condemn us to an eternity of Pleshenko and Weiss!

Augh,

The Plaid Adder

[MoonAndSun]

2. LOL

"Don't condemn us to an eternity of Pleshenko and Weiss!"

How true, Plaid Adder, Weiss has never lived up to his potential, and Pleshenko is all flash and not much substance.

I still remember Alexei with his "Man in the Iron Mask" routine that won him the gold. Just thinking about it makes my heart go pitter patter.

I hope this DUI mess will shock him into concentrating back onto his wonderful skating career.

[Plaid Adder]

3. Favorite Yagudin program is still "Gladiator"

although I also really like "Winter" (the Olympic short program).

More Yagudin fan goodness, along with Pleshenko bashing:

http://www.plaidder.com/oeuvre.htm#skating

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[WillParkinson]

4. And he's kind of cute, too...

In case anyone cared.

[Plaid Adder]

5. Yes, I admit it.

I think Yagudin is cute. And I'm a lesbian. Now that's charisma.

What Pleshenko thinks he is doing with that hair and those outfits is another question entirely. Meanwhile, the only female skaters who came close to hot, from my perspective--Katarina Witt, Denise Biellman, and Michelle Kwan--have moved on to the pro arena, to be replaced by 90-pound adolescents who look disturbingly undernourished.

Ah well,

The Plaid Adder

[Darth_Kitten]

6. He could pass for one of the Baldwin brothers.....

but driving drunk is one major NO NO. :evilfrown:

Elvis never drove drunk. Heck, I don't think he even drinks. ;) :evilgrin: