Great Russian defeat. They can’t get over success in “their” discipline

Figure skating is a very popular sport in Russia, which is supported by numerous successes at major events. The situation of local players changed significantly after the invasion of Ukraine, when, as in other disciplines, they were expelled from international competitions. “A world championship without Russian skaters is a second-class competition at best” – .

The Russians felt the exclusion from figure skating painfully. They look for “their” successes in other countries

Currently, many Russian players successfully represent other nations, and in their country of origin these achievements are strongly emphasized. It is no different this season, when they won championship titles in 20 countries.

The “Sport Express” daily calls it “a problem for the world”, which is trying to cut itself off from Russia. Recently, this “problem” could be particularly visible in the case of two players. The first is Anastasija Gubanova, who became the European champion under the flag of Georgia, the second is Ilia Malinin, the new champion of the United States. At the same time, the daily pointed out that these triumphs “cannot be presented as Russian”, as they faced considerable difficulties in their homeland, mainly due to strong competition.

In total, the players from Russia won 33 medals in championship competitions this season. Formally, all of them have been credited to the account of other countries, but “Sport Express” goes much further in its conclusions. “One can argue whether to consider only Russian representatives of the Baltic states or all foreigners with Russian surnames as “theirs”, but even according to the most conservative estimates, the Russians achieved a lot of success this season, we read.

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Despite the bold estimates of “Sport Express”, it should be noted that the players from Russia are able to build a strong bond with the countries they represent. A good example is the representative of Poland, Jekaterina Kurakowa, fourth in the competition of soloists during the last European Championships. – I’m really in love with Poland. I feel at home here. I am trying very hard to be one of you – she said in an interview with .

“Sport Express” emphasizes that for such competitors competing under a different flag is a chance for success, thanks to which “they can push figure skating forward in the country”. On the other hand, he notes that “this may cause objections when entire national teams are made up of Russians, as in the case of Poland and Hungary.” However, over time, this phenomenon may become more common. Everything depends on when the Russians reflect and take the first steps towards returning to international competition.