It has been announced that Kim has split with Orser, a Canadian the 1984 and 1988 Olympic silver medallist, after four years of working together, a partnership which culminated in the South Korean winning the gold medal at Vancouver earlier this year.

A statement from Kim's management company, AT Sports, did not explain why Kim left Orser, saying only that relations between the skater and coach had been "uncomfortable" since May.

The decision was reportedly taken three weeks ago when Kim's mother, Park Mi-hee, informed Orser that his relationship with her daughter was over.

Orser, 48, has claimed that 19-year-old Kim - who was not present at the meeting where the relationship was terminated - does not understand the decision and she is continuing to train at the same track as him in Toronto.

"To say we're a little confused about what's happening," Orser said.

"She just looked at us and said she's confused, too.

"I don't know how much she was involved in these discussions."

But, following Orser's comments, Kim posted a message on her Twitter page.

"Would you please stop to tell a lie, B?," it read.

"I know exactly what's going on now and this is what I've DECIDED."

To deepen the mystery, the tweet was quickly deleted.

But not before it had been seen by several thousand of her 241,000 followers.

Orser claims that he began to fear for his relationship with Kim when she announced she was skipping this year's Grand Prix season and would instead focus on the World Championships without telling him beforehand.

He also then got a call from Shae-Lynn Bourne, who said she had been asked to choreograph Kim's short programme.

Kim's programmes are usually choreographed by David Wilson, who works with Orser and Tracy Wilson at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club.

"I immediately started e-mailing them [Kim]," Orser said. "

"I was in the dark and felt I deserved to have some clarity.

"I was a little embarrassed, to be honest with you, that I didn't know any of this stuff."

He and Tracy Wilson finally met with Kim's mother (pictured with Kim) and an agent, and Park told Orser "she was keeping the coaching seat empty."

Orser said he held off announcing the split in hopes Kim and her camp would have a change of heart.

"But he decided to make the separation public yesterday, because he did not want it to become a distraction for his other skaters, including up-and-coming Americans Adam Rippon and Christina Gao.

Orser claimed that he wanted to put the controversy behind him and move on.

He said: "I love her [Kim], and I've been working with her, and we've grown together, and she's flourished under this team that we had.

"So I'm saddened we weren't able to get through it.

"I'm not going to sling any mud toward anyone.

"Not toward her mother, and certainly not toward Yu-na.

"Now it's done.

"We all move forward.

"I want the best for Yu-na."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

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