Olga Podchufarova will not be able to play for Slovenia, as originally planned.

The Russian biathlete was unable to obtain citizenship of this country and will now return home.

The athlete, who for some time was the leader of the Russian women's team and won medals in the championship and the World Cup, intends to continue her career and seek a return to the national team.

For the first time, Podchufarova's desire to change her citizenship and compete in international competitions for Slovenia became known in October 2019.

By that time, she had not played for Russia for almost a year and a half, since the end of the 2017/18 season.

In this intention, she was supported by the Slovenian Ski Association, which wanted to get an experienced athlete into its national team for the World Championships in Pokljuka in 2021.

Podchufarova moved to Slovenia and was even able to win gold at the local championship, but she could not get citizenship for an official transfer from one biathlon team to another.

Despite the optimistic statements of the Slovenian coach Uros Velepec that Podchufarova had already been photographed for a new passport, she could not get the coveted document.

The native of Moscow was forced to miss the 2020 World Cup in Anterselva, in which Slovenian girls were not close to medals in any race.

By the new season, Podchufarova never received Slovenian citizenship and was forced to miss all stages of the World Cup, in which her future teammates still showed more than modest results.

Finally, at the end of January, the athlete said that she no longer hopes to get a new passport and abandons her plans.

“The circumstances are such that now I am returning home to Russia.

None of the two sides expected such an outcome, but if you do not go into details, the internal laws of the EU do not allow me to complete the procedure for applying for citizenship, which means that the prospect of performing as part of this country has been nullified.

This whole story was a big challenge for me, I saw in this an experiment, my development and further growth.

Of course, the current circumstances were a blow in the stomach both for me and for the Slovenian Sports Federation, because the initial prospects were completely different, "Podchufarova wrote on Instagram.

She thanked the fans who continued to believe in her and were waiting for her return.

Now the 28-year-old athlete will try to become a member of the Russian national team again.

Podchufarova noted that the tests left behind only strengthened her desire to continue her sports career.

“Once I already lost faith in myself, lost myself as an athlete and lost motivation in the process of a long recovery.

But the most valuable thing for me is that I still found the strength and this very motivation to continue even after a one-year break.

Therefore, I will do my best to qualify for the team again and return to the international arena next year.

Thanks again to everyone.

And thanks for your understanding, ”added the biathlete.

Slovenian coach Vladimir Korolkevich told why Podchufarova was refused.

In his opinion, the athlete was considered unworthy to enter the national team, although he himself finds this reason untenable.

“The issue was coordinated at the government level, as I wanted to get a strong athlete for the home world championship.

The request for citizenship received a negative response.

The official reason was the discrepancy between the level of wages and the minimum standard of Slovenia.

But I think this is not the main reason.

There are more significant points.

Apparently, they thought that she was an athlete of the wrong level, although I believe that with such a leader, the women's national team of Slovenia could progress and grow, ”Korolkevich told News.ru.

Podchufarova's decision to return to Russia after an unsuccessful attempt to move to Slovenia caused a wave of criticism in the biathlon community.

So, the Olympic champion Anfisa Reztsova called the athlete a traitor, who is unlikely to be welcomed in the Russian team.

“She is not the first and she is not the last of those who leave Russia.

But they take root.

There are the same girls from Belarus.

But Podchufarova, apparently, was not accepted there.

Also, no one knows why she left at all.

Olya kept asking me questions, because this is a person who graduated from school with a gold medal.

However, if you listen to her interview, it looks like there are two classes of education.

Secondly, she didn't explain anything.

I think they will want to see her in the team without much desire, ”Reztsova told Sport-Express.

Prominent commentator Dmitry Guberniev suggested that Podchufarova would feel uncomfortable trying to return to the Russian national team due to the fact that in the past she refused such an opportunity.

“Oh, what a bad luck!

Biathlete Olga Podchufarova was denied Slovenian citizenship!

We will now have to try to be selected for the unwashed and unclean Russian national team!

Through force and overcoming disgust, apparently, ”the journalist wrote in his Telegram channel.

However, the Russian Biathlon Union expressed the hope that Podchufarova would still gain shape and be able to compete in the national team.

This was announced to RT by the head of the organization, Viktor Maygurov.

He promised that no obstacles will be created for the athlete.

“I do not consider Podchufarova a traitor, and if she seriously intends to continue running and will be able to fulfill the selection criteria for the team, we will all be happy to see Olya in the national team.

Personally, I consider her a very strong athlete and will always think so.

When she made the decision to leave for Slovenia to continue her career there, this decision was approved by the SBR council, so I can only repeat: the athlete did not betray anyone and did not frame anyone.

As far as I know, the reason for Podchufarova's current return to Russia is that the government has changed in Slovenia.

Another party came to power, and Olga's request for citizenship of this country was rejected.

At the moment, she remains a citizen of Russia, for the last time she competed under the flag of our country, so I, as President of the RBU, do not see any problems in continuing these performances.

And even more so we will not interfere with this, ”said Maygurov.

The head coach of the Russian national team, Valery Polkhovsky, also believes that Podchufarova has the right to return to the team, but warned that now there are many strong athletes of different ages in her, with whom she will have to compete.

“Podchufarova is a Russian citizen, a Russian athlete, and no one can prohibit her from performing in domestic competitions if she wants to continue her career.

In the same way, the road to the national team is not closed to anyone: go to the start, show the result and, if this result meets the selection criteria, the athlete must be in the national team, regardless of his name and where he trains.

It is clear that Olga will not be easy: in the Russian biathlon, during her absence, young people have grown up, older athletes have also gained some strength, but time will judge everyone, "said Polkhovsky RT.

The coach of the national team noted that Podchufarova has two months to prepare for the March Russian championship.

Based on its results, candidates for the national team for the next Olympic season will be determined.

“Podchufarova is an experienced biathlete who knows how to gather her will, especially after all the troubles she had to go through.

Geographically, she should be assigned to a regional organization, that is, to Moscow, and I am sure that there they will find an opportunity to take the athlete back to their balance sheet and create conditions for her to train.

The national championship will take place only at the end of March, at the same time the lists of members of the national team for the next year will be submitted, that is, Olga has more than enough time to prepare, ”added Polkhovsky.