American governmental red tape strikes again…
This time it is keeping a gold medal figure skating couple from representing the United States at the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina.
Reigning national champions in pairs figure skating Alisa Afinmova and Misha Mitrofanov will not be a part of the U.S. Olympic skating team at the Games next month because Efimova has yet to receive her American passport!
Mitrofanov was born in the United States and thus is an American citizen; however, his wife and skating partner Alisa Efimova was born in Finland. A legal resident of the United States and green card holder; she must wait three years to become a citizen and get an American passport. Efimova has represented Germany and Russia at previous skating events.
While the International Skating Union allows for skaters to represent a country where they do not have citizenship; the International Olympic Committee requires an athlete be a citizen of the country they are representing. As a result, Efimova and Mitrofanov will not be at the Olympic Games, but will be skating at the Four Contenents competition in China; alongside other skaters who did not make their Olympic teams.
Mitrofanov spoke on the situation at the “send off” at the Skating Club of Boston for the three skaters that will be heading to Italy for the Olympic Games saying, “yes, we didn’t make it, but we don’t see that as a failure. Hey, this was an opportunity. It may not have worked out. But so many great things have come from it that we are very happy moving forward.”
He added, “whenever we first started as a team, we didn’t know whether or not the Olympics is even a possibility. We knew it was a long shot because of the paperwork. The more we progressed with our skating career, the closer we got to that opportunity.”
Mitrofanov continued, “there were so many people who messaged us and reached out to us wanting to support us. So, for us, we’re very grateful.”
Both in their 20’s, the couple could be a part of the 2030 Olympic team if they choose to do so.
Efimova spoke on the possibility saying, “we’re thinking about it. Four years is a very long time. For now, I think we’re just thinking of how to approach the next season, because this situation, and after these nationals, it left us with some kind of hunger to make it. (If) we make it in four years to the Olympics, I think it would be even more valuable, even more precious. So that’s definitely a motivation.”