They were born and raised in Russia, but will represent a different country at Paris 2024.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has had a series of political and economic repercussions, including Russia’s expulsion from the Paris Olympics. However, the International Olympic Committee has invited 36 Russian athletes to take part in the 2024 World Olympics.
Of those, 15 accepted. These athletes are now known as AINs (“Athlete Individuel Neutre,” or “Individual Neutral Athlete” in French). Technically, they will compete in the Olympics but will not fly a flag. And the national anthem will not be played if they win a gold medal.
But beyond the 15 selected invitees, there is another category of Russian athletes taking part in the Paris Games, which officially opened on Friday. These Russian athletes have decided to represent another country, despite the prospect of facing criticism from many in their own country, especially those in power.
“Russia’s Sports Ministry said last August that 67 athletes had changed their nationality since the start of 2022, but some independent observers suggest that’s an understatement and that the real number could be as high as 200, including athletes in non-Olympic sports such as chess,” The Wall Street Journal reported. Some of the athletes the WSJ described as “crypto Russians” will be competing for medals in Paris.
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Below are brief profiles of four Russian athletes who will compete under the flags of other countries.
Sardana Trofimova: Marathon runner | Kyrgyzstan
Trofimova, 36, was born in Yakuts, a cold but rapidly developing city in eastern Russia. She won the Moscow Marathon in 2017 and 2018. She will receive Kyrgyzstan citizenship in 2023 and won a bronze medal at the Asian Games the same year. “Thank you Kyrgyzstan for giving me a second chance at sports,” she wrote on social media. As part of her Olympic preparations, Trofimova trained in Bosteri, a picturesque village in northeastern Kyrgyzstan.
Georgy Okorokov: Wrestler | Australia
Okorokov, 28, is a freestyle wrestler in the 65kg weight class. “I’m not thinking about anything other than an Olympic medal,” he told Australian news agency AAP. Okorokov hails from the frigid Yakutia region in eastern Russia. As a child, he travelled far from his village to attend a wrestling club. He had early success as a Russian wrestler but moved to Australia in 2017 where his talent was recognised and he became part of the High Performance Team, helping to develop Australian wrestling talent. He will represent Australia from 2022 and is currently ranked 27th in the world.
Igor Myalin: Diver | Uzbekistan
“I miss home, but I need it for my sporting goals,” the 28-year-old Russian has successfully represented Uzbekistan, once said in an interview.
Anastasia Kirpichnikova: Swimmer | France
Kirpichnikova, a three-time European champion, will represent France. She has lived in France for five years and trains in Martigues, northwest of Marseille. The 24-year-old Kirpichnikova previously competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games without the country’s flag for Russia. She finished seventh in the 1,500m final and eighth in the 800m final. She holds the Russian records in the 800m and 1,500m freestyle.