Degtyarev offered to pay compensation to the country when changing sports citizenship

A Russian who wants to change his "sports citizenship" can be required to compensate the state for the funds spent on his training. This was announced on February 12 by the head of the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) Mikhail Degtyarev.

"Athletes who grew up in Russia, love Russia, compete for Russia in the most difficult conditions and make their way to the World Championships deserve respect, but those who change their flag or citizenship for short-term career reasons are not on our way. <...> When switching to another national team under another flag is treacherous. Then we must apply sanctions, this is unequivocal," he said in an interview with the RBC television channel.

The minister clarified that appropriate measures, following a request from the sports community, are already being developed. Thus, a person who decides to change the flag at a competition is automatically deprived of previously obtained sports titles. The innovations, Degtyarev added, affect "the field of ethics, not prohibitions," since many of those athletes who have decided to change their citizenship continue to train at Russian facilities, while representing a different state in competitions.

"At the initial stages of sports training, the state spends more than 260 thousand rubles per year per athlete, and up to 1.5 million rubles per year for elite athletes who are already in national teams and go to the world Championships," he explained.

A day earlier, the Minister of Sports called for banning athletes who have changed their citizenship from entering the Russian Federation. He clarified that athletes who have changed their citizenship are supported by Russia at the beginning of their journey, receive food, training and mentoring from coaches, and then "drop their passport" and leave. He suggested that the country would come to such a decision soon.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.