World gymnastics champion fled Russia, refused to compete for Russia and changed her citizenship

Anastasia Simakova, a two-time world junior rhythmic gymnastics champion, will compete for the German national team. The 18-year-old native of Omsk moved to Nuremberg with her parents a year ago as part of a repatriation programme, where she has been living ever since.

In early October, Anastasia received a German passport and applied for enrolment at the German base in Schmiden.

"I would like to train here," Simakova said in an interview with Stuttgarter Nachrichten.

Julia Raskina, the coach of the German gymnasts, admitted that Simakova has a lack of training and is out of shape, but she is very talented.

On November 10, the German Gymnastics Federation (GGF) allowed Anastasia to compete for the national team.

"Now Simakova needs to pass a sports selection. Anastasia will be able to be considered a member of the German national team only after she is eligible to compete in international competitions and is selected for the national team," TASS quoted Torsten Hartmann, head of the GGF's press service, as saying.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, the famous cyclist Mikhail Yakovlev will no longer compete for the Russian national team. The 21-year-old athlete, who won Russia's first-ever medal in men's keirin in autumn 2021, received an Israeli passport in early August.

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