Russian Champion Burst into Tears over Exclusion of Russian Figure Skaters from the Olympics.

Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva's Reaction to ISU Decision

Figure skater Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva, the 2023 Russian champion in ice dancing, was deeply disappointed by the decision of the International Skating Union (ISU) not to allow Russian sports pairs and dance duets to qualify for the 2026 Olympic Games. This was reported by the portal 'Glaсkom'.

ISU granted neutral status only to those Russian athletes competing in singles.

Khudaiberdieva posted a video where she silently looks into the camera, visible tears in her eyes.

It should be noted that in April, Khudaiberdieva and her partner Yegor Bazin announced their retirement from professional sports.

Who Did Not Qualify?

Four Russian figure skaters were not allowed to the Olympic qualifying: Petr Gumennik, Adelia Petrosyan, Vladislav Dikidzhi, and Alina Gorbacheva.

However, the biggest losses were incurred by those Russian athletes who supported the war, including Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Galliamov (pairs skating), as well as Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin (ice dancing).

Scandal with Russian Tennis Player

It is also worth mentioning Russian tennis player Polina Kudermetova, who posted the symbol of Russia's aggression against Ukraine – the St. George ribbon – on Instagram.

On May 9, she also shared images of Russian military symbols in her Stories, which sparked a wave of outrage.