Ukrainian skier Viktor Petrenko commented on Vladimir Zelensky's decision to deny him the scholarship because of his participation in an ice show.
This show is by Russian Olympic ice dancing champion Tatiana Navka.
The 1992 Olympic champion said, "Honestly, I was surprised. But I'm a figure skater, not a politician." He confirmed that he left the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation in 2020.
Zelensky had denied Petrenko the scholarship in August 2022. The Ukrainian president's decree stated that the reason was the athlete's participation in the ice show "The Scarlet Flower" presented by Tatiana Navka in July 2022.
Petrenko is an Olympic champion in men's individual figure skating, having won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Albertville, where he competed as part of the unified team that included athletes from the republics of the former Soviet Union.
At the 1988 Olympics, Petrenko won the bronze medal, representing the Soviet team.
