Figure Skater’s Olympic hopes Hang in Balance as Citizenship Bid Stalls in Latvia
Riga, Latvia – November 10, 2025 – Figure skater Fiodoras Kulišas, who represented Ukraine before relocating to Latvia during the war, faces uncertainty regarding his ability to compete under the Latvian flag at the upcoming Olympic Games. A final decision on his citizenship submission is anticipated this week, but delays threaten his participation and highlight a complex situation involving national sporting allegiances amidst ongoing conflict.
Kulišas’s case is notably notable as his performance secured two Olympic quota spots for Latvia in men’s singles – a first in the nation’s figure skating history. Should his citizenship not be approved, 19-year-old Kirils Korkacsas would be positioned to fill the second quota, requiring only to meet a technical minimum in the discipline. The situation underscores the broader impact of the war in Ukraine on the international sports landscape, and the difficult choices athletes are forced to make.
Kulišas began representing Latvia during the 2023/2024 season and achieved a historic 24th-place finish at the 2025 World Championships, marking the first time a Latvian male figure skater had qualified two Olympic spots. He hopes to compete for Latvia at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Latvian Olympic Committee General Secretary Raitis Keselis stated that citizenship could be granted to Kulišas even on the day of the Olympic opening ceremony,provided the process proceeds smoothly.
The athlete’s move to Latvia followed controversy within the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation.In June 2023, members of the federation’s presidium accused officials Danil Amirchanov and Anastasiia Makarova of manipulating meeting minutes to allow athletes to compete for other national teams. this sparked outrage among federation members and athletes, who alleged the leadership was attempting to facilitate the departure of male athletes from Ukraine during wartime. Kulišas was the first athlete to take advantage of this provision, a decision that drew condemnation from some segments of the Ukrainian sports community who labeled it as desertion.
