POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL

THE AMERICANIZATION OF OKSANA HAS GONE AWRY, AND A DRUNKEN-DRIVING CHARGE IS THE LATEST CONSEQUENCE

What does a princess do after happily-ever-after? Oksana Baiul of Ukraine was Cinderella. The poor little orphan who slept at a run-down rink, practicing on uneven ice to qualify for the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. There she defeated the sport's two dueling ice queens and was suddenly royalty herself. Baiul, at 16, was embraced by a worldwide audience hungry for miracles and was beloved by Americans who were willing to pay handsomely to see success stories. Baiul went to America to become perhaps the most highly paid newcomer in professional figure skating (with a $1.5 million contract, excluding endorsements and...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!