The Ukrainian Diving Federation needs diver Sofiia Lyskun to be stripped of all awards after the European champion switched her worldwide allegiance to Russia.
Lyskun, 23, who gained the 10m synchro title ultimately 12 months’s European Aquatics Championships, selected to vary her citizenship earlier this week.
The federation stated Lyskun didn’t inform it, the teaching employees or Ukraine’s ministry of youth and sports activities of her intention, and “expresses deep indignation and strongly condemns” her actions.
In a press release,, exterior the federation stated: “Such steps are categorically unacceptable, as they discredit not solely a person athlete, but in addition the complete Ukrainian crew, which selflessly fights day by day for the correct to symbolize our nation on the worldwide stage.”
Lyskun informed Russian newspaper Izvestia, exterior that over current years she realised she was now not “rising” underneath her coaches in Ukraine, who have been “all gymnasts or trampoline athletes”.
At a unprecedented assembly of the federation’s govt committee, a unanimous resolution was made to expel Lyskun instantly from the Ukraine crew and to “strip her of all titles and awards obtained underneath the auspices of the federation”.
It would additionally “enchantment to worldwide sports activities establishments with a requirement to use sports activities quarantine to the aforementioned athlete in accordance with present worldwide requirements”.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, athletes from Russia and Belarus have been banned from competing in World Aquatics occasions.
These restrictions have since been eased, with Russians and Belarusians allowed to compete individually as impartial athletes, with out their nationwide flag or symbols.
From January, they can even be capable of take part as impartial athletes in crew occasions.
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