All together now

Last year they were among the world's most famous ice skaters, not just for their Olympic gold medal, but for the international furor it sparked.

Now Russian pairs skaters Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze are performing in the Stars on Ice tour, which comes to the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa on Friday. Among the other skaters on the tour: Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, who wound up also winning gold medals in the pairs event at the Salt Lake City Olympics.

In what would become the biggest judging scandal in Olympic history, French judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne charged, then denied, that she was pressured to help the Russians in a vote-swapping deal involving ice dancing. She has been banned from Olympic judging, and the investigation into the matter continues.

But the athletes at the heart of the controversy bear no animosity toward each other, says Sikharulidze.

"We are one show, one team, skating together. We have fun together," he said from a tour stop in St. Louis.

"We enjoy performing with this great group of people, and off the ice we are all a family," his partner added.

The St. Petersburg, Russia, natives are joined on the tour by 2002 Olympic men's champion Alexei Yagudin of Russia, Katarina Witt, Todd Eldredge, Kurt Browning and U.S. pairs champions Jenni Meno and Todd Sand. Newlywed father-to-be Scott Hamilton also will appear in Tampa, one of the 15 appearances he's making during the 61-city tour. Hamilton retired from Stars in 2001, but remains a co-producer of the show.

Sikharulidze and Berezhnaya will go home to Russia for a visit after the tour ends in April, but won't have the kind of professional opportunities they've had in the United States.

"They have some small shows, maybe once a year," he said. "We will try to come back here. We would really like to return."

With a small cast, the skaters perform solo as well as group numbers. The four Olympic pairs gold medalists will skate together to an original poem about skating recited by six-time U.S. champion and 1996 world champion Todd Eldredge.

"This is a new type of skating for us, but it is cool and it is fun," Berezhnaya said.

At one time, the Russian skaters were romantically involved. He now describes their relationship as "romantic friends."

"Very, very, good friends," he said. "'We have a lot of fun together."

Much as they enjoy the ice show, this kind of skating poses perils they didn't face in competition.

At one show, "I had a sexy costume on for the opening number," Berezhnaya said. "When I came out I became exposed. I skated right off the ice."

Although the audience probably didn't notice, her partner did.

"She looked pretty good," Sikharulidze quipped.

Will the two go for another gold medal? They're keeping their options open.

"Anything," he said, "is possible."