“Protopopov and Belousova transformed simple figure skating into a sport closely related to art” – Moskvina

Two-time Olympic champion Oleg Protopopov and his partner Lyudmila Belousova passionately devoted themselves to figure skating and turned it into a sport closely related to art, the honored coach of Russia in figure skating told . Tamara Moskvina .

Protopopov died on October 31 at the age of 91. During his sports career, the skater performed in tandem with his wife Lyudmila Belousova. The duo won the USSR championships six times, the world and European championships four times, and won gold at the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Games.

— Oleg and Lyudmila Belousova introduced many artistic elements into our sport, which made figure skating universally loved and joyful for many of its admirers. Oleg was a rather complex person, like all people who fanatically profess the desire to do something eternal. And in this direction, together with Lyudmila, they lived, worked and created. With this, they erected a miraculous monument in their honor, transforming simple figure skating into a sport closely related to art,” Moskvina told .

Belousova and Protopopov were invited to Switzerland for demonstrations in 1979, where they remained. In August 1995, they obtained Swiss nationality and settled in the town of Grindelwald. Belousova died in September 2017.