Zhurova called the reasons for Kostomarov’s hospitalization: everything got worse with coronavirus

The condition of the famous figure skater Roman Kostomarov has finally stabilized, according to an anonymous source in Kommunarka. The 2006 Olympic champion was hospitalized a few days ago with severe pneumonia. Zhurova is an old friend of Kostomarov, together they took gold at the same Olympic Games – in Turin. The Olympic champion in speed skating, now a State Duma deputy Svetlana Zhurova, in an interview with MK, listed the reasons that influenced the condition of her friend Roman Kostomarov.

– Let it be a fake, a journalistic duck or a hype that some stars suffer from – and Roman came up with all this himself, that this definitely did not happen to him, a young, healthy and wonderful person. And he does not get sick, but drinks tea at home in a warm house – these were the first emotions of Svetlana Zhurova, who until the last did not want to believe in the tragedy with her illustrious colleague. – But, unfortunately, all this did not happen, he really fell ill, and Roman’s condition requires that we all just pray for him and wish him recovery.

Svetlana considers Roman’s reliability during the flu epidemic and a new strain of coronavirus to be one of the reasons for the illness. Kostomarov, according to Zhurova, is so responsive and benevolent that these human qualities could cost him dearly.

– I am well acquainted with Roman, we have long crossed paths with him at the Olympiads. Roman is a very good guy, sociable, sympathetic and insanely pleasant, just like with his wife Oksana Dobrina – we treat each other with warmth. I went to all his shows and never saw Roman refuse his fans an autograph and joint photos. He could have just caught the virus.

But there is another possible reason.

The guys are performing outdoors. The last time I saw Kamilla Valieva, Tanya Navka, and the guys were skating on the open skating rink on Red Square. I look at it with some kind of emotion – well, ride a little, put on something warm and leave. And the skaters work in stage costumes, wearing practically nothing under them – in the form in which they skate in warm skating rinks. Unfortunately, on open rinks and in sub-zero temperatures, skaters perform without a hat. Undoubtedly, it is harmful to health. As I understand it, it was very cold at one of Kostomarov’s performances, and it was already impossible to cancel it, and this had its effect. And then Roman was still a little cold and he probably thought “it’s okay, why didn’t I have such moments before”? With us, with athletes, it really happens when you really need it, you go to training or performances with a cough or a minimal cold, and this is the biggest mistake. But apparently, Kostomarov did not have a replacement, and he thought – “well, I’ll go out for five minutes, it’s okay, what can happen here”?

Svetlana Zhurova also urged not to forget about the specifics of warm ice rinks.

– Recently, everyone has gone to warm skating rinks and, of course, the conditions are hothouse. Our time of contact with ice is quite short, but not as long as that of figure skaters – they have the opportunity to continue their careers in ice shows, giving master classes, performing at different venues. And I must tell you that this is not harmless communication with freon – a gas (refrigerant – ed.), which is poured into pipes to make artificial ice. It is 100% dangerous for human health. Contact with it in the volume and quantity in which it is used does not lead to anything good. Freon definitely weakens the immune system. It is dangerous for the respiratory tract and, considering how much time skaters spend training on skating rinks with freon, it will not bring anything useful to the athlete.

– Did you remember similar complications of diseases after performances on ice?

– This example with Kostomarov is the most amazing and terrible, before there was simply no coronavirus, now everything has worsened with him. Yes, I know, due to recklessness, a number of athletes – even if not so bright and well-known to everyone – had complications associated with the flu, for the same reason that they went to training on the principle “oh, it’s okay!”. The consequences gave very serious complications, the athletes ended their careers, being very promising and claiming some kind of medals. Personally, I did not go out on the ice even with a minimal illness. Although, I do not guarantee that if it were the Olympic Games, I would not have gone out and tried.

– Is there a difference in health control between athletes at competitions and at commercial events?

– An athlete at the training camp does prophylaxis so as not to get sick and is always under the supervision of doctors. At the slightest suspicion of a disease, the doctor immediately diagnoses him, takes tests and prescribes treatment. It is clear that ending your sports career, like an ordinary person, you are undoubtedly more careless about your health. There is a certain temptation even for those who are sick to continue participating in commercial events. Show must go on, as they say – the show must go on for the fans, who, unfortunately, will not understand if a skater comes out to them and says “you know, I got a little sick here, and there will be no this number.” Although, if Kostomarov would go out to his audience and tell them this, people would, of course, treat him with understanding.

I want Roman to get better soon and continue to delight us with his bright, beautiful and emotional performances. We all sincerely worry about him. Roman has a lot of fans, friends and loved ones, and now for all of us it is a difficult period of empathy for everything that is happening to him now, – Svetlana Zhurova concluded.

As MK already wrote, at the beginning of the year Kostomarov took part in two Averbukh projects. From December 29 to January 7, he performed in the ice show “The Wizard of Oz”, and then skated on an open rink in Kolomna. In early January, the athlete took part in the ice show of Ilya Averbukh, and one of the performances – on Christmas Eve in Noginsk – took place in a frost of -25 °. On January 10, Kostomarov was hospitalized with pneumonia and was connected to ventilators and ECMO at the same time. He is in intensive care under medical sedation. Before hospitalization, figure skater Roman Kostomarov had already been ill for a week and had not been treated. Even last Friday, the 45-year-old athlete showed no improvement.

Help “MK”:

Freon is used as a working substance – a refrigerant in artificial ice refrigeration units. Impact: freon has a suffocating effect on a person due to the fact that it does not support breathing, it can affect the cardiovascular and nervous systems, cause the development of spasms of blood vessels and muscles in combination with persistent disorders of blood microcirculation.