Russian athletes that have changed nationalities

[avlar 482]

4 minutes ago, copravolley said:

There was also Tymoshchuk, I think, but he simply lives in Russia and doesn't say anything publicly. Second, he retired a long time ago.

 

Generally for me, it's important to distinguish that simply staying in Crimea, for example, isn't as serious a crime as war crimes or working for Russia, for example, by informing. The fact that the current captain of the Women Ukrainian football team was a sport camp in Crimea in 2016 shows that even in Ukraine, no one treats it as a serious offense.

Yes, Tymoshchuk is an old story.

About visiting Crimea - it was not offence at all in 2016 for Ukrainian citizens since there were official points where one can enter the Crimea.
A lot of Ukrainians from other parts of the state owned properties, had relatives there - so they needed (and could) legally visit Crimea. It was not considered border transfer.
But, it was/is not the same for russians - they could/cannot not legally enter the Crimea (and the rest occupied territories) from the russian territory. That is the difference.

[copravolley 564]

It's a shame that Italy hasn't naturalized anyone from those regions for 4 years, including winter sports. Many countries do this, though the most of them are those from the former USSR, where Russia itself probably doesn't bother with too long waiting periods: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc, but not only they. We only have Antropova, which isn't even case involved in the war, as it was already discussed in 2021.

 

https://www.oasport.it/2025/12/polina-kudermetova-non-rappresentera-piu-la-russia-la-tennista-giochera-sotto-la-bandiera-delluzbekistan/

Edited December 15, 2025 by copravolley

[copravolley 564]

Poland, for example, has Semurunyyi in speed skating, France has Kirpichnikova in swimming, who won a medal in the 1500 meters in Paris and we have nothing. We could easily have signed someone in speed skating, cross-country skiing, etc. We could have even proposed this to Ustjugov, becouse he wanted to train with the Italian national team 2 years ago. We simply lack the intelligence and cynicism. Antropova shows that it is worth doing this, because without her we probably wouldn`t have won the gold at the Olympics and World Championships in the last 2 years.

Edited December 15, 2025 by copravolley

[Gianlu33 5,367]

1 hour ago, copravolley said:

It's a shame that Italy hasn't naturalized anyone from those regions for 4 years, including winter sports. Many countries do this, though the most of them are those from the former USSR, where Russia itself probably doesn't bother with too long waiting periods: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc, but not only they. We only have Antropova, which isn't even case involved in the war, as it was already discussed in 2021.

 

https://www.oasport.it/2025/12/polina-kudermetova-non-rappresentera-piu-la-russia-la-tennista-giochera-sotto-la-bandiera-delluzbekistan/

What a disgrace! Sport is not a football transfer market. I don't understand why they give passports to people who have no connection with Italy. And then maybe we shouldn't give citizenship to people who were born and have lived in Italy for 18 years.

[hoversaBR 670]

I can only imagine the honor some countries feel when they win with athletes who were bought. I don't know, maybe that feeling is different here in Brazil. 

[copravolley 564]

45 minutes ago, Gianlu33 said:

What a disgrace! Sport is not a football transfer market. I don't understand why they give passports to people who have no connection with Italy. And then maybe we shouldn't give citizenship to people who were born and have lived in Italy for 18 years.

The world is what it is, and if you don't do something, France and Poland will do it for you, taking your medals. If it weren't for Kiripiczkikova, Quadarella would have won the bronze medal in Paris, and now it's possible that Smeirunyy will take Ghiotto's medal in Cortina...

 

btw., what connection does Colturi have with Albania? The same as Ustjugov or Antropova have with Italy: none

If you do nothing, you risk losing medals to others who are smarter than you... Like: France, Albania, Poland, etc .And I have read many opinions here that it's great that Albania will now have medals in winter sports... So, for some, it's good, but we can't do it? In my opinion, either no one does it- which is impossible in these times- or everyone is fighting for yourself.

Edited December 15, 2025 by copravolley

[copravolley 564]

28 minutes ago, hoversaBR said:

I can only imagine the honor some countries feel when they win with athletes who were bought. I don't know, maybe that feeling is different here in Brazil. 

Albania took away our best young alpine ski racer and everyone here is happy about it and congratulating them on the fact that they will win medals in the winter

[hoversaBR 670]

6 minutes ago, copravolley said:

Albania took away our best young alpine ski racer and everyone here is happy about it and congratulating them on the fact that they will win medals in the winter

Well, many people here tend to be rigid on this topic; it's even difficult to convince anyone that athletes like Lucas Pinheiro (who was born in Norway but has a Brazilian mother) and Tati Weston-Webb (who was born in Brazil but moved to the USA early in life) are actually Brazilian. I've seen many comments belittling their achievements, ranging from saying they aren't really Brazilian to comments that, given their countries of origin, they wouldn't amount to anything and wanted the easy way out (which, for these two athletes, obviously wouldn't be true).

[copravolley 564]

9 minutes ago, hoversaBR said:

Well, many people here tend to be rigid on this topic; it's even difficult to convince anyone that athletes like Lucas Pinheiro (who was born in Norway but has a Brazilian mother) and Tati Weston-Webb (who was born in Brazil but moved to the USA early in life) are actually Brazilian. I've seen many comments belittling their achievements, ranging from saying they aren't really Brazilian to comments that, given their countries of origin, they wouldn't amount to anything and wanted the easy way out (which, for these two athletes, obviously wouldn't be true).

Pinheiro has connections to Brazil, becouse his mather is a Brazilian, so there's no problem with that. The problem is more of a moral one, because Norway trained him and thanks to them, he became a great skier. If he lived in Brazil, he wouldn't have had that opportunity. Nevertheless, Norway probably doesn't have much of a problem, as it has many other excellent skiers in various disciplines. In Colturi's case, she had 0 connetions to that country- Alb, so praising it is a bit of a stretch, especially if you then accuse Italy of doing the same to others.

 

Antropova has connetions with Italy in that she trained there, when her was  about 13-14 years old, so we had some influence on her current form. Italy certainly did more for Antropova's career than Albania did for Colturi in the past.

Edited December 15, 2025 by copravolley

[Dragon 2,057]

31 minutes ago, hoversaBR said:

Well, many people here tend to be rigid on this topic; it's even difficult to convince anyone that athletes like Lucas Pinheiro (who was born in Norway but has a Brazilian mother) and Tati Weston-Webb (who was born in Brazil but moved to the USA early in life) are actually Brazilian. I've seen many comments belittling their achievements, ranging from saying they aren't really Brazilian to comments that, given their countries of origin, they wouldn't amount to anything and wanted the easy way out (which, for these two athletes, obviously wouldn't be true).

Isn't Weston-Webb's father from England?