Diving champion Sofia Lyskun receives Russian citizenship
Sofiya Lyskun announced she had obtained a Russian passport and intends to compete for Russia. The athlete said the decision stemmed from dissatisfaction with the training conditions in the Ukrainian national team and mentioned a conflict related to coaching ties.
By Oleg Bazylewicz
December 4, 2025 · 1 min read
Sofiya Lyskun, a Ukrainian world champion in diving, announced that she has taken Russian citizenship and will henceforth represent that country. The athlete spoke about the change of citizenship in an interview with Russian media.
Receiving Russian citizenship
23-year-old Lyskun, a native of Luhansk, said in a video address that she had renounced her Ukrainian passport and plans to compete for the Russian national team. She linked her decision to long-standing dissatisfaction with the working conditions within the Ukrainian team.
Reasons for changing country
According to the athlete, the Ukrainian team allegedly did not observe professional standards, and she was reprimanded for contacts with her first coach, who moved to Moscow.
At training camp they told me that no one should be in contact with Russians anymore. I sat there and didn't understand why that was addressed to me specifically. I believe an adult should behave differently
– Sofiya Lyskun
She also said that a poster with the slogan "Sport is above politics" hung in the Kyiv pool, but, in her view, it was the athletes who felt the pressure first.
Sporting career and awards
Lyskun was born in Luhansk and competed for the Ukrainian national team until 2025. At the 2025 European Championships she won gold in the mixed team event and silver in synchronized 10-metre platform diving.
The athlete has a total of 12 medals at World and European championships as part of the Ukrainian national team.
Ksenia Bailo and Sofiya Lyskun took silver in the synchronized 10-metre platform at the 2025 European Championships; the medal was Ukraine's seventh at the tournament.
