The IOC approved the change of citizenship for Russian athletes Lyubimova, Yakovlev and Tibilov
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the change of citizenship of three athletes representing Russia. RIA Novosti reports this.
IOC communications director Mark Adams said the decision was made ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. It is noted that cyclist Valeria Lyubimova will compete for France, cyclist Mikhail Yakovlev will compete for the Israeli team, and Greco-Roman wrestler Georgiy Tibilov will represent Serbia.
Yakovlev, 23, won bronze at the 2021 World Championships in Keirin. 23-year-old Tibilov is a bronze medalist at the World and European Championships.
On September 12, Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin shared his opinion on the change of citizenship by Russian athletes. He said the process does not harm the country.
At the end of February 2022, many sports organizations banned Russians from participating in tournaments on the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee. At the same time, in some disciplines, such as tennis, MMA and chess, Russian athletes were not excluded and continued to perform in a neutral status.
Source: Lenta
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
