In Russia, Ahn Hyeon-soo (37) naturalized as ‘Viktor Ahn’ and won three gold medals in short track at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
Dmitry Sbischev (53), Vice-President of the House of Representatives of the Russian Federation, said in an interview with the daily newspaper ‘Sport Express’ on the 17th (Korean time), “We are working hard so that athletes can train and participate in competitions while feeling economically stable. Ahn Hyun-soo won a medal for us at the Sochi Olympics.”
The Russian sports world is creating a big wave of possibility that Diana Davis (19) and Glef Smolokin (23), a figure skating ice dance duo, will turn to the U.S. national team to participate in the International Skating Union (ISU) competition.
After the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia disappeared from the world of sports. This is because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) maintains a recommendation not to participate in world federations and organizing committees of major competitions.먹튀검증
Davis, a dual citizen born in the United States, is the only daughter of Yetteri Tutveridze (48, Russia), a figure skating instructor who taught 7 Olympic medalists and 3 world championship champions.
Smolokin lives with Davis at her new home in Novi, Michigan, USA, after she and Davis became married last year. She was married to a US citizen, so she naturally obtained US permanent residency.
Vice-Chairman Sbischev said, “It depends on the situation of each player. There are reasons such as marriage,” he said, “there is no disaster in the Russian sports world. There is no large-scale exodus,” he said, trying to keep the athletes from being psychologically shaken by the reality of not being able to participate in international competitions in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine.
The news agency Ria Novosti, run by the Russian government, reported, “If international competitions become possible in the near future, the Davis-Smolokin duo may abandon their plans to represent the United States.”
Vice-Chairman Sbyshev said, “Some may leave, but there are foreign nationals like Ahn Hyun-soo who were attracted by the national financial and training support and won Russian citizenship and won at the Olympics.”
Davis-Smolokin, who debuted as a senior in the 2021-22 International Ice Skating Federation figure skating second division’Challenger Series’ ice dance event, won a gold medal once, and the opportunity to continue the 2022-23 season is cut off.