Traitors from Crimea: Which Ukrainian athletes swapped flags to sign up for Team Putin
While the strike on the Crimean bridge caused panic in the occupied peninsula, imagine what will happen when Ukrainian troops liberate the land? It will be interesting to see the reaction of former Ukrainian sports stars who changed their allegiance – and their citizenship – after Russia’s illegal annexation and occupation.
Sadly, there are many athletes who formerly brought glory to Ukraine before turning to work with the occupiers. Here are some of this infamous company.
Over 2,000 Russian athletes renounce citizenship after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Artur Ayvazyan: Born in Yerevan, the 2008 Olympic champion in shooting lived in the Crimean capital of Simferopol since 1997. After Crimea’s occupation, Ayvazyan decided to compete for the Russian national team, though he failed to achieve any success. After the International Olympic Committee (IOC) called for Russian to be admitted to the 2024 Olympic Games as neutral athletes, Ayvazyan called for Russia to organize an alternative Games.
Oleksiy Sokyrskyi: Before Russia illegally annexed Crimea, this star athlete lived in the Crimean Saki. A bronze medalist at Universiade, he just missed out on a 2012 Olympic medal after finishing fourth in the hammer throw. He could have continued his quest for an Olympic medal, but instead chose the rogue country and has yet to see any significant success while competing for the Russian flag.
Vera Rebryk: The 2012 European champion in javelin is from Yalta. After representing Ukraine at the 2008 Olympics, Rebryk changed her passport and became a three-time Russian champion (2015, 2016, and 2020).
Maksym Oberemko and Svitlana Maslivets: This married couple were sailing stars while living in Crimea. The couple saw no success while competing for Russia after 2014, so they turned to coaching.
Artem Ivanov: From Crimea, this star for Ukraine’s national weightlifting team won medals at the World and European championships. But he wasn’t needed in Russia after changing his citizenship, so Ivanov was forced to retire. It is believed that he is now a physical education teacher at a Simferopoli intitute.
Denys Golodko: This former Ukrainian national football team star began his career in Simferopol and won a Ukrainian Cup with Tavria. But he also happily welcomed the occupiers and worked for the Football Federation of Crimea. During the 2018 Russian presidential election, he joined the #PutinTeam movement, an organization started by Russian NHL star Oleksandr Ovechkin that actively supports the Russian dictator.
Lyudmila Blonska: The world indoor champion track athlete was born in Simferopol, but is probably best remembered for having her 2008 Olympic silver medal in heptathalon stripped and receiving a lifetime Olympic ban for repeated doping. According to Crimean mass media, Blonska joined the #PutinTeam movement. She currently works for the Department of Sports and Physical Education at the Tavria Academy.
Serhiy Dotsenko: The Simferopol boxer is best known for winning silver at the 2008 Olympic Games. Following Russia’s occupation of Crimea, he accepted Russian citizenship and became the vice-president of the Boxing Federation of Crimea. He joined #PutinTeam in 2018.
Serhiy Lezhentsev: Starting his career with Simferopol’s Tavria in the old USSR league, Lezhentsev later became a two-time champion of Ukraine with Dynamo Kyiv while suiting up for Ukraine’s national team seven times. The footballer immediately began working with occupation authorities in 2014 and joined #PutinTeam in 2018.
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