European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 10, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Brian Boita Nothe suffering is just. An act by Ron Mckinney staff writer among insiders Brum Boitano concedes he is becoming known As the suffering skater. Mis friends and choreographers v know. Mrs skating partner Katarina Witt jokes with him about it. The name comes from the tormented expression he carries so naturally while it laying the part of Don Jose in his and Witt is portrayal of Carmen on ice. Quot All my characters Are always suffering Quot Boitano lamented. But Boitano 27, has had enough. He wants to shod the image. In verbal so jarring with Witt he insists Quot the next one we do you la be begging for my  a a a. In real Lile Boitano a torment comes Only from the International skating unions decision last May to bar. Professional figure skaters from a competing in the 1992 olympics Boitano Thel 988 olympic figure skating Gold medallist and reigning professional world Champion has t Given up on his Hopes to return to the a olympics. But first the International skating Union has to reverse its current position following in the footsteps of other sports in opening the games to the pros. That could happen for the 1994 olympics. Quot if they open it up i d be Back Quot said Boitano during a break from his training Tor the gala on ice revue in. Frankfurt Germany fast month. Boitano said the people within the Union have no desire to relinquish their control Over Amateur skaters. Quot skating is  these people who Are very Pover hungry and done to want to give up the. Power because once they Start letting professionals in they can to make the Money off of them. Then they re going to Start losing their strength Quot he said. Boitano believes the Union Otti vials will eventually have to Back Down. He expects figure skating to begin of us pm on professionals much like Tennis has. Quot its going to turn into something like a Wimbledon. You can to pay people to go see Amateur Tennis now. They want to see the professionals at Wimbledon and the . Open and i think skating is going to go that Way Quot he said. He said the Union s decision to not let professionals in would end up hurting therm on because the skaters have created the world professional Ltd a it Ray of amps Michael Abrams Brian Boitano does t appear to be suffering too much As he finishes a routine sitting on the ice with Katarina Witt. Figure skating championships Quot and i think it s going to become . Quot As it is i think americans watch More professional skating anyway now. There s More on to. I mean the Only thing the americans really watch of Amateur skating is the olympics Quot. He said. An audience of millions was watching the olympics on television three years ago when Boitano pulled off a Brilliant performance in the Long program to upset the favored world Champion Brian Orser of Canada. Skating in front of a Home crowd in the 1 v s i. 1 a amps. Michael Abrams Brian Boitano Hopes to Glide smoothly from skating to theater. Saddled me at Calgary Alberta Orser was expected to be the first Canadian to win a Gold in men s figure skating. Quot i did t think it was mine to win Quot Boitano said. Quot he was supposed to v win politically in every Way. So really it i prepared myself to be second and i knew the Only Way i could win was to. Do a lifetime performance the Best shot i Ever  who grew up in Sunnyvale calif., held a Short Lead after narrowly losing the Short program to Orser. But in the Long program his spins turns and leaps lifted him to a Gold medal. Fie landed eight triple jumps including glow axes and one of them in combination with a double toe Loop. As for Orser he nearly stumbled on a triple flip and then scaled Down a triple Axel to a double both of which Hurt him. ,. Boitano said he would never consider altering his routine in mid performance. Quot i Don t believe in it. I Call that negative thinking. As soon As you Start thinking you might do a double instead of a triple you do a double. Then your mind starts playing games and you never do As Well As you had hoped Quot he said. That was one reason Boitano attempted the quadruple jump while defending his title in the 1987 world championships. The Champion he said was supposed to improve from. One year to the next. And nobody had Ever completed a quadruple jump in Competition. Not even Boitano. He fell and settled for the Silver. Quot it was pretty Gutsy i considered since i really did t see a Chance of Landing it. But As a world Champion i wanted to be better and not just live on my laurels Quot he said. A when he s not trying to top his Best performances on ice Boitano likes to lock himself in his san Francisco Home to watch movies from the 50s and Barbecue for friends. Quot i like not being the Center of attention Quot he said. Away from the privacy of his Home Boitano is easily recognized by his Boyish Good looks. Quot to this Day it it surprises me that still i la go place Sand people will go of my god. They still congratulate me on the.  Boitano who is now on tour with Witt in North America said he Hopes skating will Lead him to his next career move a the musical theater a sometime in the coming five or six years. Quot skating is a Well rounded event. What makes it so difficult is not Only the triple jumps and the stamina that you need but also this curious Side of theater to it. You have to be a character Quot he said. But Boitano s tormented character in Carmen on ice does t seem so despondent when the program ends with the pair sitting on the ice locked Iri a passionate kiss. Funny. He does t look the part of the suffering skater there. 8 stripes Magazine january 10, 1991