Lithuanian Skating Federation President Vytautas Jasutis said that figure skaters Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas will not be allowed to participate in the 2024 European Championships to be held in Kaunas. Jasutis quotes: Respublika.lt.
“No one can deny the contribution of our best couple to the sport. It’s a bit of a shame that they won’t be able to make it to the championship anymore. In other cases this will probably be very useful. I am not a judge and I do not make moral judgments. The Federation had previously made its position very clear; There is no uncertainty regarding the actions of our former couple,” Jasutis said.
On July 28, Lithuanian Minister of Internal Affairs Agne Bilotaite appealed to the country’s president with a request to strip figure skater Margarita Drobyazko of her citizenship for participating in Tatiana Navka’s show. On June 21, Lithuanian Seimas representative Victoria Cmilyte-Nielsen said in an interview with local media that the procedure for revocation of the athlete’s citizenship had been initiated.
Margarita Drobyazko is a 13-time Lithuanian champion, two-time European Championship medalist, World Championship medalist in ice dancing. He participated in five Olympics with his wife and partner Povilas Vanagas.
Drobyazko was born in Moscow in 1971. As an exception, the athlete received a Lithuanian passport in 1993 for his services to the country he represented at the World Championships and Olympic Games.
Previously Drobyazko emotionally commented Deprivation of Lithuanian passport.