Arina Mikhailina, a 21-year-old beach volleyball athlete from the Zarechye-Odintsovo team near Moscow, died on the evening of April 21. The All-Russian Volleyball Federation (VFV) confirmed the athlete’s passing through its press service. The announcement noted the death occurred suddenly, but did not specify a cause, and extended condolences to family and friends.
According to reports, Mikhailina’s body was found by a janitor near the Moscow Energy Institute (MPEI) dormitory on 1st Sinichkina Street in southeast Moscow, where she resided. A source cited by MK indicated that the athlete had fallen into a depressive spell after a severe knee injury that caused her to miss a lengthy portion of the season. After a period of recovery, doctors reportedly identified another illness, leading to orders to refrain from sports until mid-summer.
On April 21, Mikhailina was corresponding with her boyfriend, who believed she might be saying goodbye. He summoned an ambulance to the MPEI dormitory and went to her side. Medical staff assessed her and concluded that she did not require further help at that moment and left the scene. Shortly after, Mikhailina was found near the dormitory. She remained alive briefly in the hospital but succumbed to her injuries. The athlete left behind her mother and a sister who also plays volleyball.
“Another Team That Knew How to Act Had to Be Called In.”
Natalya Uryadova, the coach for Zarechye-Odintsovo, spoke with socialbites.ca about Mikhailina, noting she did not quit in the face of professional sport and remained devoted to her passion to the end. She characterized the events as a suicide, explaining that Mikhailina had recently ended a relationship with a young man. Uryadova described Arina as kind, intelligent, cheerful, and genuinely generous—an athlete with clear goals and a refusal to give up. She suggested that the psychological team should have been involved from the start rather than relying solely on the emergency medical team.
According to Uryadova, the medical responders arrived at the scene as the tragedy unfolded. It appears there was some confusion about the appropriate response, and her impression is that psychological support was ultimately needed more than immediate medical intervention. She emphasized that the individual involved may have benefited from immediate psychological assistance and suggested that a different team, trained in handling such situations, could have offered the needed support instead of proceeding with standard procedures alone.
Uryadova reflected that speaking to the person with empathy, offering comfort, and connecting to mental health resources might have altered the course of events. She urged that prompt access to qualified psychological help be part of the response in similar cases.
Mikhailina had earlier achieved recognition as the Russian Champion in the girls under 17 division in 2018 and earned a bronze medal at the 2019 Student Spartakiad. She also represented the Russian youth national team. In remarks to TASS, the federation’s deputy chairman, Andrei Gorbenko, stated that the federation would continue clarifying the circumstances surrounding the incident and that the general secretary, Alexander Yaremenko, had promised full support for the deceased’s family. The VFV remains committed to ensuring comprehensive assistance during this difficult time.