Russian figure-skating star Sofia Samodelnika has obtained a Kazakh passport as Russian athletes face a possible ban from the Olympics. RBK, a Moscow-based news agency, reported on August 5 that Samodelnika had received citizenship in the neighboring country even though Russia's figure-skating organization had yet to approve her departure. The International Olympic Committee last month said it will not send Russia a formal invitation to the 2024 Paris Olympics amid its invasion of Ukraine. Samodelnika, 16, a top medalist in Russia, may seek to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics to be held in Milan, Italy.
