Russians represent Hungary at the European Figure Skating Championships

The Hungarian National Skating Federation (Magyar Országos Korcsolyázó Szövetség, MOKSZ) has chosen mainly Russian competitors to participate in the European Figure Skating Championships. There is only one Hungarian-born among the six competitors. The other five competitors include one Ukrainian-born and four born in Russia.

The championships are held 25-29 January in Espoo, Finland. For almost a year now, it has become common for Russia to be banned from participating in international competitions because of the war.

How can Russian competitors still participate?

24.hu had several questions about the predominant number of foreign athletes, and contacted MOKSZ. So far, the news portal has not received any reply. Among other matters, the portal wanted to know whether they plan to keep the remaining Hungarian skaters, as more and more of them are leaving the country. The portal’s journalists were also wondering why the federation sent Russian competitors if they were aware that Russian competitors were banned from competing.

How this can happen despite the bans can be easily explained by the regulations of the International Skating Union (ISU). According to the regulations, it is not necessary to be a national of a country to compete representing it at European or world championships organised by the federation.

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The Hungarian delegation

In figure skating, Julia Láng (the only Hungarian) and Aleksandr Vlasenko are competing. The Russian Vlasenko has been a member of the Hungarian team since 2020. Mariia Ignateva, also Russian-born, is competing in ice dance and has been part of the Hungarian team since 2021. The other ice dancer is Danijil Szemko, who was born in Ukraine. As 24.hu reports, he has been living in Hungary since 2016, has Hungarian citizenship and speaks Hungarian. In pair skating, the Russian-born Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko are participating. Both have been competing in Hungarian colours since the 2021-22 season. Apart from Vlasenko, the Russian competitors all live in Russia, are Russian citizens and train under Russian coaches.

Hungarian figure skaters are leaving their teams

According to 24.hu, more and more Hungarian figure skaters are leaving their teams. The portal highlights that it was valaszonline.hu that has brought attention to the fact that more and more Russian-born figure skaters are competing in Hungarian colours in international competitions. As valaszonline.hu writes, Vivien Papp, who is considered a highly talented athlete, decided to switch countries because of the Russian majority in the Hungarian teams. She has been training in Italy since last year.

Several other figure skaters made the same decision because of the Russian dominance. Mózes Berei, for example, gave his coach, Júlia Sebestyén, the same reason for the change of team:

This inscription, HUN, means my country and my heart to me, to a Russian, it is just letters, and you chose him instead of me.

His teammate, Balázs Berei has continued in the US. In addition, Léna Ekker and Katinka Zsemberi have also left their team as a result of the Russian dominance.

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Source: 24.hu, valaszonline.hu