European Champion Liskun Obtained Russian Citizenship: Reaction of Ukrainian Athlete

Leader of the Ukrainian skeleton and member of the Ukrainian NOC Athletes' Commission Vladislav Geraskevich expressed his surprise at the actions of diver Sofia Liskun, who changed her citizenship to Russian. He called this move outrageous and nonsensical, condemned the athlete's choice, and expressed disappointment. Geraskevich also noted that he had previously collaborated with Liskun, who had competed under the Ukrainian flag.

Sofia Liskun herself announced her acquisition of Russian citizenship, citing issues with discrimination in Ukraine and mental health. She is a European champion in diving and has awards from mixed teams and continental championships.

The participation of Russian athletes, including Alexandra Sayutina and Veronika Stepanova, in a propaganda event held at the address to the Federal Assembly of Russia violates the IOC recommendations regarding neutral athletes. The event also involved Russian servicemen who participated in the war against Ukraine.

Let us recall that the 2026 Olympics will take place from February 6 to February 22 in Italy.