Italian figure skating news & updates

[Karen-W]

Suddenly, things are starting to make sense...

Maiia Khromykh can switch sport citizenship and represent Italy

Maiia Khromykh can switch sport citizenship and represent Italia.

fs-gossips.com

 

[karmena]

...and it is what I mean by saying "brainwashed" in my previous post ( re ICF president's answers to Media)

 

[greenapple]

Suddenly, things are starting to make sense...

Maiia Khromykh can switch sport citizenship and represent Italy

Maiia Khromykh can switch sport citizenship and represent Italia.

fs-gossips.com

What is starting to make sense?

 

[Karen-W]

What is starting to make sense?

She's in Tutberidze's group... Seems to be some quid pro quo happening.

 

[greenapple]

She's in Tutberidze's group... Seems to be some quid pro quo happening.

I know who she trains with. My question is "WHAT is STARTING to make sense"??? What quid pro quo are you referring to?

 

[Karen-W]

I know who she trains with. My question is "WHAT is STARTING to make sense"??? What quid pro quo are you referring to?

Eteri taking Grassl in last month... The quotes from the FISG (Italian ice sports fed) president that were reported yesterday seeming to be open to this arrangement and not condemning Eteri for the Valieva doping, etc. They're gonna get a decent female skater out of this...

 

[Wyliefan]

They'd do better to invest in Pezzetta. I know she has consistency issues and a long way to go, but at least she has decent technique that won't break her body to pieces. If they seriously think an Eteri girl is going to outlast a skater like that ... they've got a lot to learn.

 

[greenapple]

Eteri taking Grassl in last month... The quotes from the FISG (Italian ice sports fed) president that were reported yesterday seeming to be open to this arrangement and not condemning Eteri for the Valieva doping, etc. They're gonna get a decent female skater out of this...

Not sure I can buy into that random theory. If Kromykh is indeed making a switch Eteri would not be the person negotiating the transfer.

 

[greenapple]

I have boycotted everything about Russian skating since the war began so I have no idea if Kromykh even competed this season at one of the faux competitions????

 

[Amy L]

I have boycotted everything about Russian skating since the war began so I have no idea if Kromykh even competed this season at one of the faux competitions????

No, she and Usacheva have been MIA this whole season.

 

[skatingguy]

I have boycotted everything about Russian skating since the war began so I have no idea if Kromykh even competed this season at one of the faux competitions????

No, she and Usacheva have been MIA this whole season.

Which also fits for the country switch - Russian Federation considers domestic competitions in that year that a skater must sit out to be considered for release.

 

[greenapple]

Which also fits for the country switch - Russian Federation considers domestic competitions in that year that a skater must sit out to be considered for release.

Yes, it does. I posted months ago on this forum that I believed at some point there would be an exodus and perhaps this is just the beginning. Another season of no Challenger, Senior B or GP events has to be making some of the Ruskies think about their non-future if they remain in their homeland.

 

[On My Own]

Does that mean Eteri is going to have two people in Team Italy? Because there are MANY noodle jokes there, and I say MANY.

 

[Frau Muller]

No, she and Usacheva have been MIA this whole season.

Exactly. Maiia Khromykh was out all of this season.

Wasn’t there talk, before the conflict, of one of the non-Eteri skaters switching to Italy…Nugumanova or someone else from the middle of the Russian skaters? Now Italy can “Go higher” by getting an Eteri pupil with international medals (2021 CS Budapest Cup win).

As for Usacheva, I thought that she was truly injured & likely retired.

EDITING TO ADD:
Oddly, when I first saw Kimmy Repond (Switzerland) during the 2021 JrGP series, I thought that she physically resembled Maiia Khromykh (face and figure). I thought, “Little cousins!”

 

[karmena]

... imho it is all about/for political gain for Russia under disguise of sport... president of ISF is excusing Russia in everything Russia has been accused ( doping, war)...

very well crafted political game under pretext of sport

 

[Primorskaya]

Ha! Saw this last night and didn't post as there's no confirmation yet, she's still only "considering it" apparently.
If this is indeed the start of a mass exodus, a lot of Feds are going to have to ask themselves a lot of ethical questions. Although the Russian Fed could also just not release people. Or only the ones who they reckon won't harm them as competitors if/when they come back. If there's no quick way back, they'll do whatever pisses everyone else off most.

 

[On My Own]

Don't know if I'll be so quick to believe Italy will accept a Russian from the Eteri camp... I don't think Italy is so hungry for medals that it will forget that it is hosting Milan and that it could turn into a huge scandal among its own public come the 2024-25 season if she moves by then.

 

[skatingguy]

Don't know if I'll be so quick to believe Italy will accept a Russian from the Eteri camp... I don't think Italy is so hungry for medals that it will forget that it is hosting Milan and that it could turn into a huge scandal among its own public come the 2024-25 season if she moves by then.

The one discipline they didn't medal in at Europeans was the Women, and they will need a stronger entry in that category to be competitive for a Team Event medal in 2026.

 

[On My Own]

The one discipline they didn't medal in at Europeans was the Women, and they will need a stronger entry in that category to be competitive for a Team Event medal in 2026.

I meant that I don't think Italy's OC is going to allow its skating fed to create a scandal leading into the Olympics, they can't possibly be that hungry for medals. It will first come out that the rumours about the move surfaced during the war against Ukraine, a lot of people will already take this and run. Then it will surface she was being coached by Eteri, who created the doping scandal at Beijing. And then if Kromykh (and Grassl) are still being coached by Eteri, that's another shot fired against this whole thing.

You can't expect the US or Canadian media to keep quiet about any of it either. Olympics are already an expensive undertaking, are they really willing to risk it for one (possible) figure skating team medal? I don't even know how Italy specifically handles things like sports, it might become very bad.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Does Khromykh have Italian ancestry, so that she can take a family name a la Righini?

 

[skatingguy]

I meant that I don't think Italy's OC is going to allow its skating fed to create a scandal leading into the Olympics, they can't possibly be that hungry for medals. It will first come out that the rumours about the move surfaced during the war against Ukraine, a lot of people will already take this and run. Then it will surface she was being coached by Eteri, who created the doping scandal at Beijing. And then if Kromykh (and Grassl) are still being coached by Eteri, that's another shot fired against this whole thing.

Winning puts things into a different perspective.

You can't expect the US or Canadian media to keep quiet about any of it either. Olympics are already an expensive undertaking, are they really willing to risk it for one (possible) figure skating team medal? I don't even know how Italy specifically handles things like sports, it might become very bad.

The media has already forgotten about it. Look at the coverage that Valieva's Wednesday exhibition got.

 

[Rainbow]

Does Khromykh have Italian ancestry, so that she can take a family name a la Righini?

I`d be very astonished, if they pulled an Italian mother out of the hat all of a sudden. It didn`t work out for Talalaikina, did it?

 

[On My Own]

The media has already forgotten about it. Look at the coverage that Valieva's Wednesday exhibition got.

I don't think it being forgotten now means it will remain forgotten when the larger public comes back, and Eteri's face especially surfaces again for the 4 year fans.

 

[rfisher]

I think the biggest issue they face is funding. Nicole Gosviani had Italian connections and was married to an Italian and it didn't work out for her either. Plus, I've heard this is an unfounded rumor regarding Maia. Maybe it's true, but maybe it's not. I've no idea if her parents can afford to fund her training plus living expenses in a different country.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I`d be very astonished, if they pulled an Italian mother out of the hat all of a sudden. It didn`t work out for Talalaikina, did it?

Talalaikina couldn't get residency because of Russia's war against Ukraine. However, if she had had citizenship already, or could get it through family, she wouldn't need a residency permit.

If Khromykh's situation is the same as Talalaikina's, then switching is a non-starter. If she has/can get citizenship, then it's a completely different situation.

 

[Vagabond]

FAQs: Applying for Italian citizenship by Naturalization (Residence) | Mazzeschi Legal Counsels

Interested in applying for Italian citizenship by residency (naturalization). Do you want to know more information the process? What documents do you need?

www.mazzeschi.it

Like the United States, Italy does not confer citizenship by dint of extraordinary talent. Anyone seeking to obtain citizenship needs to live in Italy for a certain number of years, and in Khromykh's case, unless there is something we don't know about, it's likely to be ten years. And that's even assuming that she can get a visa, which is doubtful.

 

[PRlady]

I’d not want Khromykh anyway, she’s an also-ran who’s not a pleasing skater to watch. But couple it with her coach and Russia, yeesh what a bad idea.

Levito has no reason to change countries but maybe Gabby Izzo could be convinced. Italy does have a track for descendants of Italian emigrants which I’m guessing Izzo is.

 

[MsZem]

Does Khromykh have Italian ancestry, so that she can take a family name a la Righini?

Or like those well-known Italian surnames, Hotarek and Guignard?

 

[kwanfan1818]

Or like those well-known Italian surnames, Hotarek and Guignard?

Do they have Italian ancestry and any incentive to change their names?

 

[Rainbow]

Talalaikina couldn't get residency because of Russia's war against Ukraine. However, if she had had citizenship already, or could get it through family, she wouldn't need a residency permit.

If Khromykh's situation is the same as Talalaikina's, then switching is a non-starter. If she has/can get citizenship, then it's a completely different situation.

Yes, hence the need for an Italian mother or grandmother. Otherwise this is just a hoax.