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Nentsian figure skating is granted Mordvanian citizenship
By Milena Bratek
Published: Tolven 11, 1581


Guzalya Zofarova, during a recent figure skating event in Mestarka.


Slovograd, Mordvania - The Republican Gazette of Mordvania, the official state gazette of the Republic of Mordvania, has published a decree granting Mordvanian citizenship to Guzalya Zofarova, a Nentsian national.

Guzalya Zofarova, 14, is a well-known and promising figure skater. She had won the Nentsian Junior Championship twice, and became the first junior lady skater to break the total score above the 200 mark in the Brigidnan Junior Grand Prix of Wroclaw, a year ago. She was as well runner-up in the Junior World Championship held in early 1580 in Viendag, Vienland, being therefore one of the most promising Nentsian sportwomen for the next years. She was expected to be one of the main options for the Nentsian national team in the next Winter Olympics, where Nentsia has never obtained a medal in figure skating so far.

However, Guzalya's promising future seemed to be threatened when his father, an opposition activist, was detained and sentenced to 6 months of jail on tax fraud charges in a controversial trial. Guzalya and her mother, an independent journalist, then fled to Mordvania, where they were granted assylum as refugees. Gulazya's father rejoined them three months ago. They are currently living in Wojek, northeastern Mordvania, where Zofarova often trained with members of the Mordvanian figure skating team. Guzalya's mother was recently hired by Mordvanoske Novice, a Mordvanian newspaper, where she writes as a reporter on literary and cultural events in Wojek province.

The Republican Council had proposed granting citizenship to Zofarova arguing that an extended interruption in her sport career "was likely to have negative influence in her personal development as human being", besides other humanitarian and professional considerations.

Zofarova is expected to join the Mordvanian figure skating team in international championships as soon as possible.

Neither the Nentsian authorities nor the Nentsian Federation have commented on this issue so far.