April 17, 2026

A Protest on Ice


A Protest on Ice
Tuktamysheva. "Figure skating," YouTube.

During a recent a figure skating tournament, world champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva took to the ice with her mouth taped shut. Her hair was dishevelled, and her costume consisted of what looked like a half-torn, grey, long-sleeve shirt, beneath which black underwear and tights were visible. Tuktamysheva performed a dance full of drama and expression, dedicated to gender-based violence. In the first part, she appears to be trying to dodge blows, run, and even crawl away from her abuser, while in the second part, she finds her own path, her dignity and the ability to defend herself. 

Tuktamysheva was participating in the “Russian Challenge,” organised by the Russian Figure Skating Federation in conjunction with state TV network Channel One, which broadcast it. The anchor attempted to smooth things over by saying that the performance was dedicated to “toxic relationships.” Tuktamysheva didn't comment, but the following day posted on Instagram, explaining that the difference between these concepts is “enormous” and that “the problem of domestic violence is far more serious.” She also wrote that victims of physical abuse must become visible and must speak out about their experiences. 

In Russia, prior to 2022, such a statement might simply have been a striking comment on an important social issue; but in today’s climate of accelerating patriarchal tendencies and the worsening of the situation with gender-based abuse due to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, it comes across as both unexpected and bold. “We still haven’t passed a law on domestic violence,” the figure skater wrote, venturing into the rather dangerous territory of criticising the current system.

Yet Tuktamysheva's statement cannot really be called political, because she did not go beyond stating and expressing facts. Like many public figures in Russia, Tuktamysheva draws no conclusions, nor does she ask why those in power not only tolerate violence but also condone and decriminalize it. On stage, Tuktamysheva rips the tape off her mouth, which is meant to symbolize liberation and the regaining of the gift of speech; real life, however, is still a long way from that, and one has to choose one's words with extreme care.

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