Slutskaya decides to make up for the Turin failure.

Andrei ALEXANDROV, March 7, 01:28 am

Irina Slutskaya, the Turin Olympic bronze medallist and the most titled skater of Europe, announced her intent to take part in the World championships in Calgary. This news created a real buzz. Indeed, it came about suddenly, at the banquet that Vladimir Putin hosted in Kremlin for our Olympians. The head of state presented all medalists with certificates for Japanese cars from the Russian businessmen; man got Toyota Land Cruisers, and women got Lexus’s. In addition, women got expensive jewelry.

Irina Slutskaya will remember about the presidential banquet not only the lavish gifts, but also that Vladimir Putin hugged the skater, who so far hasn't become an Olympic champion. Perhaps the attention from the most important person in the state impressed Irina so much that she dared make her declaration. "I will go to the world championships in Calgary; I cannot say anything about Vancouver in 2010 because I don't like to think so far ahead", said Slutskaya.

Irina surely did not think of the problems she was causing the head of the Russian Skating Federation Valentine Piseev. The thing is, the national team for the Worlds in Calgary, to take place March 20 through 26, was literally announced the day before. Not a single Olympic medallist was listed, though some Olympians were - that would be Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, and Marina Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov, and Elena Sokolova. The official roster was sent to the headquarters of the International Skating Union and to the championship organizing committee.

Slutskaya's announcement about wanting to skate in Calgary couldn't have come at a worst time. Leaving such a skater outside the team, especially considering the absence of other stars, would not make sense. To include her would incur a risk. No one can guarantee that the Canadian officials will include Irina in the list of competitors. There are many procedural details here. Officially, three skaters representing Russian will be Elena Sokolova, Arina Martynova, and Katarina Gerboldt. Slutskaya was not even among the alternates, so we won't know for sure if she'll skate in Calgary for a few days. By the way, Shizuka Arakawa, the reigning Olympic champion, will be there.

Irina Slutskaya will have a good chance to make up for the Olympics, becoming a three time World champion in the process. By the way, Irina already had one victory after Rurin - on Monday, the sports minister of Japan Kenji Kosaka officially apologized to the Russian skater. After the Games, while congratulating Arakawa for her brilliant skate in Turin, Kosaka allowed himself to be openly gleeful about the Russian skater's fall in the free skate. "I truly regret saying those rush words. I apologize to both Arakawa to Slutskaya", said Kosaki. Irina did not comment on this.