How an Olympic skating star born in Russia became a medal contender for Germany

MILAN, Italy (AP) — Nikita Volodin’s career had stalled in Russia. Then came a move to Germany, which made him an Olympic medal contender.

Volodin teamed up with German skater Minerva Hase in 2022, after nearly four years out of elite-level competition skating in ice shows. 

He’d come close to giving up on dreams of skating success before Hase’s coach arranged a tryout with the German, whose 2022 Olympics had been derailed by a positive COVID test for her previous partner.

“I tried to forget it,” Volodin said of his ambitions after his first practice at the Olympic rink last week. “But now I’m standing here and I can skate on Olympic ice and it’s wonderful.”

Volodin is one of at least 30 Winter Olympians who were born in Russia or used to compete for Russia, and who now represent other countries. Some had family ties, many didn’t.

They outnumber by more than two to one the 13 “individual neutral athletes with Russian passports,” as Olympic organizers refer to Russians given permission to compete during the war in Ukraine.

Russia was excluded after the Ukraine invasion

Days after the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing ended, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine which soon led to Russian athletes being excluded from a range of sports. Many winter sports didn’t allow neutral athletes in international events until last year, so a change of nationality was a way to continue competing.

At least 10 athletes at the Milan Cortina Olympics switched allegiance from Russia since 2022. One, speedskater Kristina Silaeva, has confirmed she switched because of the restrictions on Russian athletes.

“I’m just not ready to wait. An athlete’s time is short, and it isn’t clear when the next international competitions will be if I stay. I can’t miss the peak of my career,” Silaeva told Russian broadcaster Match TV after her move to Kazakhstan in 2023.

Silaeva had to give up Russian citizenship but it’s “not such a big problem” to get it back later, she added.

Volodin’s change doesn’t seem to have been directly prompted by the sports restrictions on Russia since there was no realistic prospect of him skating for Russia at the time. Hase, who was seeking a new partner after placing 16th in the 2022 Olympics, has said the pair won’t discuss politics in public.

Racing against time for a German passport

Hase and Volodin soon proved a good match on the ice, where his height and strength were crucial for the lifts and throws in pairs skating.

After his arrival, the clock was ticking.

Unlike many skating events, such as the European championships Hase and Volodin won last year, the Olympics require all competitors to be citizens of the country they represent.

Volodin worked through a crash course in the German language with help from Hase to be eligible for naturalization after three years. He got his passport last year.

“I love to wear this Team D (for Deutschland, or Germany) clothing, it’s very beautiful. I feel part of Team D because I’m very well integrated for three years,” he said. “I obviously feel part of this team and I try to do my best.”

Russia’s history of exporting athletes

Regardless of restrictions on its team, Russia has long exported winter sports talent. Nationality switches among figure skaters, not just from Russia, are especially common in pairs and ice dance. 

Russia’s depth of talent has long encouraged athletes to move abroad to pursue sporting dreams. The parents of U.S. figure skating star Ilia Malinin were both born in Russia during Soviet times, represented Uzbekistan after it became independent, then coached in Virginia, where their son was born.

There were naturalized Russians on the host team in South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics and a Russia-born player, Denis Osipov or Dannisi Aoxibofu, joined Americans and Canadians on China’s men’s hockey team in 2022.

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics