The Ukrainian Diving Federation has initiated severe disciplinary measures against European diving champion Sofiia Lyskun following her controversial decision to transfer international sporting allegiance to Russia. The 23-year-old athlete, who secured gold in the 10m synchronized event at the 2023 European Aquatics Championships, formally changed her citizenship earlier this week without prior notification to national sports authorities.
In an official statement, the federation expressed profound condemnation of Lyskun’s actions, characterizing them as detrimental to both individual athletic integrity and collective national pride. The organization emphasized that such conduct undermines the sacrifices made by teammates who continue representing Ukraine during ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Lyskun defended her decision in an interview with Russian publication Izvestia, citing professional stagnation under Ukrainian coaching leadership. She claimed her previous trainers, predominantly from gymnastics and trampoline backgrounds, could not facilitate her further development in elite diving.
Following an emergency executive committee session, the federation unanimously resolved to immediately dismiss Lyskun from the national team roster and revoke all titles and honors she obtained under its jurisdiction. Additionally, the organization will petition international sporting bodies to impose competitive quarantine restrictions on Lyskun in accordance with global athletic regulations.
This controversy emerges amidst evolving participation policies for Russian and Belarusian athletes, who were initially barred from World Aquatics events following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Recent modifications now permit individual neutral competition without national identifiers, with team event eligibility for neutral athletes scheduled to commence in January.