Olympic champion in short track Zakharov has ended his career

Ruslan Zakharov, the 2014 Olympic champion in short track and the silver medalist of the 2022 Games in speed skating, announced his retirement on May 13.

"I have decided to end my sports career," he told RIA Novosti.

Zakharov is the only athlete from Russia who has managed to win Olympic medals in short track and speed skating, Sport-Express notes. He won a gold medal in the relay at the Olympic Games in Sochi, and won a silver medal in speed skating at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.

"I hope there will be no merger with the figure skating federation"

Nikolay Gulyaev, President of the Russian Skating Union, on the attitude to the idea of merging with figure skaters, the admission of athletes to selection for the Olympics-2026 and the new leadership of the ROC

Russian athletes are currently banned from participating in competitions under the auspices of the International Skating Union (ISU). On December 20, 2024, the ISU allowed athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in the qualification for the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy in a neutral status. It was clarified that the decision applies to speed skating, figure skating and short track competitions. At the same time, Russians will not be allowed to participate in the team tournament.