Leading speed skaters Silaeva and Golubeva were allowed to compete for Kazakhstan

The Executive Committee of the Russian Skating Union agreed on the transfer of Kristina Silaeva and Elizaveta Golubeva to the Kazakhstan national team, reports “Match TV” The first performance of the athletes as part of the new team is scheduled for 2025.

Six-time bronze medalist of the world championships Elizaveta Golubeva and the current champion of Russia at a distance of 500 meters Kristina Silaeva are already training under the new flag. However, the athletes will be able to begin performing as part of the new national team no earlier than 2025. The quarantine, mandatory in case of a change of national team, began on July 3, 2023 and will last 24 months.

On July 5, Elizaveta Golubeva submitted an application to change her sports citizenship. She explained the decision by saying that she “just wants to do her job without restrictions.” Mrs. Golubeva expressed hope that she will represent the new country at the next Winter Olympics. On July 17, the Russian Skating Union received a request from Kazakhstan about the transfer of Kristina Silaeva. Previously, the athlete left the Russian team. Ms. Silaeva explained the change of citizenship by saying that she was not ready to wait, “the age of an athlete is short.”

Today, September 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin statedthat Russia will protect the interests of athletes and will look for alternatives for them. The head of state believes that international organizations violate the main principle – sport is outside politics. Ministry of Sports of Russia reportedthat more than 100 Russian athletes compete for foreign teams. Chess players and figure skaters most often changed their sports citizenship. On August 4, it became known that Russian figure skater Sofya Samodelkina decided to change her sports citizenship.

Read more in the Kommersant article “Kazakhstan enters Russian ice“

Alexandra Goroshilova