Rafael Arutyunyan Inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame

The Figure Skating Federation of Armenia has congratulated the outstanding figure skating specialist Rafael Arutyunyan on his induction into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony took place on January 9, 2026, in St. Louis, USA, as part of the “Prevagen 2026” Championships. During the event, Arutyunyan’s many years of dedication and his exceptional influence on the development of figure skating were recognized, highlighting his role as a source of inspiration for generations of athletes and coaches.

Rafael Arutyunyan is regarded as one of the most respected and influential coaches in the history of world figure skating. Over the years, he has coached numerous elite skaters, including Olympic, world, and national champions. His contribution to the advancement of skating technique, training methodology, and professional excellence is highly valued worldwide.

Arutyunyan began skating at the age of seven in his hometown of Tbilisi. He did not achieve significant success as a competitive skater and held the title of Candidate for Master of Sport of the USSR. He later moved to Yerevan, where he graduated from the Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture and worked as a coach at the Yerevan Youth Figure Skating School from 1976 to 1985. He subsequently continued his career in Moscow, as Armenia lacked an international-standard ice rink at that time.

In 2000, Arutyunyan relocated to the United States, where he worked at several leading training centers in California. Since 2016, he has been a coach at Lakewood ICE in Lakewood. In July 2019, he obtained U.S. citizenship. Among his renowned students are Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, Jeffrey Buttle, Mao and Mai Asada, Alexander Abt, Sergey Voronov, Ivan Dinev, and Alexander Shubin.

The Figure Skating Federation of Armenia emphasized that Rafael Arutyunyan’s induction into the Hall of Fame is a well-deserved recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of world figure skating and his lifelong dedication to the sport.