Pairs & Dance Teams with Citizenship Issues | Golden Skate

Pairs & Dance Teams with Citizenship Issues

Weathergal

Medalist
Joined
May 25, 2014
I've made several updates (since the previous update of 12/3). I think all the questions on the list have been answered for now. Thank you so much to all the GSers for their updates, corrections, and clarifications! :thank:

Pairs
Aliona SAVCHENKO / Bruno MASSOT
Aliona - Germany (originally Ukraine), Bruno - France - Bruno now has his German citizenship.

Marissa CASTELLI / Mervin TRAN
Marissa - US, Tran - Canada - This team will not be going to Olympics because Mervin doesn’t have US citizenship at this time.

Sumire SUTO / Frances BOUDREAU-AUDET
Sumire - Japan, Frances - Canada - This team will not be going to Olympics because Frances doesn’t have Japanese citizenship at this time.

Ekaterina ALEXANDROVSKAYA / Harley WINDSOR
Ekaterina - Russia, Harley - Australia - Ekaterina now has her Australian citizenship.

Liubov ILYUSHECHKINA / Dylan MOSCOVITCH
Liubov - Russia, Dylan - Canada - Liubov now has her Canadian citizenship.

Lola ESBRAT / Andrei NOVOSELOV
Lola - France , Andrei - Russia - This team will not be going to Olympics because Andrei doesn’t have French citizenship at this time; France has returned two of its three Olympics pairs slots.

Camille MENDOZA / Pavel KOVALEV
Camille - France, Pavel - Ukraine? - This team will not be going to Olympics because Pavel doesn’t have French citizenship at this time; France has returned two of its three Olympics pairs slots

Dance
Sara HURTADO / Kirill KHALIAVIN
Sara - Spain, Kirill - Russia - Kiril now has his Spanish citizenship.

Oliva SMART / Adria DIAZ
Olivia - UK, Adria - Spain - Olivia now has her Spanish citizenship.

Isabella TOBIAS / Ilia TKACHENKO
Isabella - Israel (was US then Lithuania), Ilia - Russia - Ilia was denied Israeli citizenship.

Yura MIN / Alexander GAMELIN
Yura - South Korea (she actually has dual citizenship with US and South Korea), Alexander - US - Alexander had his application for special naturalization approved for South Korea.

Cortney MANSOUROVA / Michal CESKA
Cortney - Canada, Michal - Czech Republic - Cortney now has her Czech citizenship.

Marie-Jade LAURIAULT / Romain LE GAC
Marie-Jade - Canada, Romain - France - Marie-Jade now has her French citizenship.

Laurence FOURNIER BEAUDRY / Nikolaj SORENSON
Laurence - Canada, Nikolaj - Denmark - This team will not be going to the Olympics because Laurence doesn't have Danish citizenship at this time; Denmark has returned its Olympics ice dancing slot.

Angelique ABACHKINA / Louis THAURON
Angelique – Russia, Louis – France; Angelique now has her French citizenship.

Natalia KALISZEK / Maksym SPODYRIEV
Natalia - Poland, Maksym - Ukraine - Maksym now has his Polish citizenship.

Justyna PLUTOWSKA / Jeremie FLEMIN
Justyna - Poland, Jeremie - France - This team will not be going to Olympics because Jeremie doesn’t have Polish citizenship at this time.

Lucie MYSLIVECKOVA / Lukas CSOLLEY
Lucie - Czech Republic, Lukas - Slovakia - Lucie now has her Slovakian citizenship.

---

Now that WTT is over, excitement for the Olympics is really building! Being a fan of many pairs and dance teams with mixed citizenship, I've been wondering what their status is. I can only imagine the stress some couples must feel after finally finding the right partner and working hard enough to have a good chance of making the Olympics --yet they have to deal with the uncertainty of whether or not they'll be able to compete.

I'm listing all the ones I can think of below, but I'm sure I'll miss several! If anyone thinks of more, please mention them. (I didn't include teams, like Weaver / Poje and Gilles / Poirier who have gotten their citizenships some time ago.)

And more importantly, if you know what their status is - citizenship issues resolved, citizenship most likely will come in time, citizenship most likely will not/or definitely will not come in time, etc., please share. My hope is by the Olympics that most teams will able to resolve those issues, but some unfortunately won't. :sad21:

These are the teams I can think with mixed citizenship:

Pairs
Savchenko / Massot: Aliona - Germany (originally Ukraine), Bruno - France - they are OK to skate for Germany, correct?
Castelli / Tran: Marissa - US, Tran - Canada - trying to get Mervin US citizenship, but my understanding is this will be difficult, especially since they train mostly in Canada and Tran really isn't spending time in the US
Suto / Boudreau- Audet: Sumire - Japan, Frances - Canada - I believe Japanese citizenship unlikely for Frances as Japanese citizenship is very difficult to get; a shame because I really enjoy this pair. I think they're very charming and have been improving steadily.
Alexandrovskaya / Windsor: Ekaterina Russia, Harley - Australia - so exciting to have an Australian pair win World Juniors! Is Ekaterina eligible to skate for Australia in the Olympics?
Ilyushechkina / Moscovitch: Lubov - Russia, Dylan - Canada - will Lubov get Canadian citizenship so they are eligible for the Olympics?

Dance
Hurtado / Khaliavin: Sara - Spain, Kirill - Russia - will Kirill be able to get Spanish citizenship in time for the Olympics?
Smart / Diaz: Olivia - UK, Adria - Spain - will Olivia be able to get Spanish citizenship in time for Olympics?
Tobias / Tkachenko: Isabella - Israel (was US then Lithuania) Ilia - Russia - does Ilia have Israeli citizenship yet or will he have it soon?
Min / Gamelin: Yura - South Korea (she actually has dual citizenship with US and South Korea) Alexander - US - will Alexander be able to skate for South Korea in the Olympics?
Agafonova / Ucar: Alisa - Ukraine, Alper - Turkey - will Alisa be able to represent Turkey in the Olympics? (yes Alisa has citizenship, and they've competed at 2014 Olympics)
Mansour / Ceska: Cortney - Canada, Michal - Czech Republic - will Cortney get Czech citizenship for the Olympics?
Lauriault / Le Gac: Marie-Jade - Canada, Romain - France - even though they're married, I believe French citizenship isn't guaranteed for Marie-Jade, correct?
Fournier Beaudry / Sorenson - Laurence - Canada, Nikolaj - Denmark - very difficult to get Danish citizenship, and they've said in interviews that they most likely will not be able to compete in the Olympics
 
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SnowWhite

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 30, 2016
Country
Canada
^ They did. They placed 22nd in Sochi, so they're all good for citizenship.
 

SnowWhite

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 30, 2016
Country
Canada
My understanding / what I've heard:

S/M - Bruno needs to place a language test to get citizenship, last I heard he'd taken it but didn't have the results yet.
C/T - They can't get it for next year, they said on the Ice Network podcast that they're trying for 2022 to get Mervin US citizenship.
S/BA - My understanding is there's no chance, especially not for 2018.
A/W - I believe there's a pretty good shot of her getting it, especially with the JWGM, apparently Australia isn't super strict for these types of things I've heard.
I/M - Like Australia, Canada isn't super strict about citizenship for these things, it's expected she'll probably get it from what I've heard.

H/K and S/D - Their real issue isn't citizenship, which apparently they would likely be able to get. Both Kirill and Olivia competed too recently for another country, so they'd have to get IOC and ISU permission to be eligible (don't know exactly what the process is).
T/T - not sure
M/G - I think they'll be fine. I hear South Korea really wants lots of athletes for their home Games (understandably), so they're being pretty liberal with giving citizenship.
A/U - Competed in Sochi.
M/C - no idea
L/LG - Not really sure, but I think I read somewhere that she's likely to get it (?)

Also: Laurence Fournier Beaudry / Nikolaj Sørensen - She's Canadian, they skate for Denmark. Apparently Denmark is really strict similarly to Japan, so they don't think it's likely, but they are still trying
 

Skye

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Min / Gamelin: Yura: South Korea (she actually has dual citizenship with US and South Korea) Alexander - Russia - will Alexander be able to skate for South Korea in the Olympics?

Isn't Gamelin American? The guy from the other Korean dance team is Russian, I think.
 

CaroLiza_fan

EZETTIE LATUASV IVAKMHA
Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
Country
Northern-Ireland
Lauriault / Le Gac: Marie-Jade - Canada, Romain - France - even though they're married, I believe French citizenship isn't guaranteed for Marie-Jade, correct?

L/LG - Not really sure, but I think I read somewhere that she's likely to get it (?)

I thought being married automatically got you citizenship, unless the authorities take it into their heads that it is a sham marriage.

But, I haven't yet had a real need to know all the ins and outs of what marriage entitles you to. Particularly not in France.

I am not sure, but I think there is a special arrangement regarding citizenship between France and Québec at least, due to Québec being a former colony of France. So, since Marie-Jade is from Québec, I think she should be OK.

But, as I said, I don't know for sure.

CaroLiza_fan
 
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chameleon

On the Ice
Joined
May 29, 2014
There's generally a residency requirement for French citizenship, but maybe they'll be willing to waive it for the Olympics. Of course, as France only has two spots, they'll have to contend against another team whose eligibility is in question, Abachkina/Thauron. She was born in Russia but moved to France as a child. Generally you can't apply for citizenship until you're 18, and her birthday is in January which might be too late. However, I'd heard that they found a workaround/made an exception, so maybe Lauriault/Le Gac will also be granted one.
 

Anyasnake

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen are very good and are very much Olympic calibre, and it's sad that they won't probably get it :sad21:
 

maya1985

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
I am not sure, but I think there is a special arrangement regarding citizenship between France and Québec

I never heard that ...
I do not know for Marie Jade: ok she is married with a Frenchman (for the obstention of French nationality this is not enough), but she does not live in France. I hope that she will be able to obtain french nationality in time
 

NoNameFace

GS given name - Beatrice
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen are very good and are very much Olympic calibre, and it's sad that they won't probably get it :sad21:

it will be indeed a shame of the century if Laurence and Nikolai won't be at Olympics...They are solid, but most of all - they are true performers, selling the light aura of romance like no tomorrow, especially she's a star - confident, divine woman
 

Anyasnake

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
it will be indeed a shame of the century if Laurence and Nikolai won't be at Olympics...They are solid, but most of all - they are true performers, selling the light aura of romance like no tomorrow, especially she's a star - confident, divine woman

Yeah, Denmark could use them to promote figure skating and by extention Winter sports. Has a Danish skater ever been a top skater ? Because it has to start somewhere. (Look in Korea what Yuna has done...)
 

Ares

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 22, 2016
Country
Poland
it will be indeed a shame of the century if Laurence and Nikolai won't be at Olympics...They are solid, but most of all - they are true performers, selling the light aura of romance like no tomorrow, especially she's a star - confident, divine woman
I would like to see them at Olympics, but it looks very unlikely as things stand now according to them. They would basically need to settle in Denmark / get official residence status for F-B (they train and spend most of the year in Canada) and only after few years start applying for Laurence. If they were representing Poland she would just need to marry him to get citizenship (they're couple off-ice too). I am afraid that they're not prominent enough to get some exemption and workaround.
 
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Anni234

Ina Bauer
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Country
Estonia
It literally never occurred to me until now, that Bruno and Alyona have different citizenships... :palmf:
 

Ares

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 22, 2016
Country
Poland
It literally never occurred to me until now, that Bruno and Alyona have different citizenships... :palmf:

Maybe because it took so long for France to release Bruno to represent Germany so people forgot about another issue.
 

sarama

Medalist
Joined
Apr 23, 2014
I'm quite sure Laurialut/LeGac said that being married wasn't going to help them, still they were hopeful to get citizenship in time.
 

Anni234

Ina Bauer
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Country
Estonia
Maybe because it took so long for France to release Bruno to represent Germany so people forgot about another issue.

Yes i kinda thought the trouble days are over and all is good. :laugh:
 

andromache

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Well we all know Aliona would've never picked a partner who would struggle with getting German citizenship. She wants that OGM.
 

Andrea82

Medalist
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
France have 2 Olympic spots in Pairs. but both second and third pairs have the man coming from East Europe.

Lola ESBRAT / Andrei NOVOSELOV
Camille MENDOZA / Pavel KOVALEV

Do any of them have citizenship or is expected to get it in time?
 
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