Silver medalist of the Tokyo Olympics as part of the Russian team, fencer Sergei Bida plans to obtain American citizenship and compete for the US national team at the Games in Paris, the portal reported on January 10 USA Today.
When asked about her readiness to represent the US team, Bida’s wife Violetta answered in the affirmative.
“We are ready,” she said.
The US Olympic Committee has already sent a letter to Congress to speed up the citizenship process, the sources said. The material clarifies that the athletes are supported by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
New York lawyer Jack Wiener, who represents the fencers, said he and a colleague at the law firm Covington & Burling have begun reaching out to politicians to speed up the process for fencers to become U.S. citizens.
In Russia, Sergei Bide and his wife Violetta, who fled to the United States, face up to 10 years in prison. On December 26, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs put a wanted list on epee fencers who took part in the US Championships without the consent of the Russian side.
In 2019, Sergei Bida took first place in the individual epee tournament at the Fencing World Cup in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. His wife Violetta Bida won a silver medal in the team competition at the World Championships in 2019. In 2023 they moved to California, USA.
The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics will take place in Paris on the evening of July 26. In fact, the competition will begin two days earlier, on July 24, and will end on August 11.
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