Dozens of athletes have left Russia in recent months, following their country's invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions in the various sports, which do not allow them to compete.
One of the latest to do so is the Russian gymnast Anastasia Simkova, who this week submitted an application to represent Germany in an international competition.
Simkova, who turned 18 in September, was born in Omsk and was part of the Russian team that won gold at the 2019 World Junior Championships in Moscow.
#BREAKING Anastasia Simakova, two-time Russian world champion among juniors in rhythmic gymnastics, wants to become a German citizen.
El comentario del deportista de 18 años encabeza la edición alemana de Stuttgarter Nachrichten #ONU #Alemania #Rusia pic.twitter.com/BsnQz6ybfr
— Renemassmedia (@renemassmedia) November 7, 2022
According to reports, Simkova, who won an individual title at the Russian Championships earlier this year, fled to Nuremberg following the Russian invasion of Ukraine that prompted the International Gymnastics Federation to ban competitors from Russia. She has had a German passport for three weeks and is currently in boarding school.
At the weekend she competed in a league competition in the tape exercise and received 28.40 points.
"I can do better," she told the Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper.
"I would like to train here."
"She lacks training and is still not in shape, but she is a good gymnast with great talent," said Yulia Raskina, her boarding coach.
The gymnast applied to join the training group of the German national team.
Team manager Isabel Sawada said she would like Simkova to join the team when the formalities are completed.
"However, the medical tests and the release from Russia have not yet arrived," Sawada confirmed.
To date, over 30 athletes have already chosen to move and represent another country, so that they can continue to compete and reach the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. Other athletes have done so: doubles tennis player Natala Dzalmidze, who moved to Georgia, and, as published in Israel Hayom, also track cyclist Michael Yaakovlev immigrated to Israel.
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