MOSCOW, April 4 (Itar-Tass) —— The Olympic future of Russia’s pentathlete of Lithuanian descent, Donata Rimsaite, will be decided in May, the president of Russia’s Modern Pentathlon Federation, Vyacheslav Aminov, told a news conference at Itar-Tass. He pointed to the absurdity of the current situation and criticized the position of the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania, which “is devoid of common sense.” He speculated that “political and personal financial interests of the Lithuanian NOC’s officials were behind their stance.
“I do hope that the executive of the International Olympic Committee will consider the Rimsaite case once again and make a positive decision, based on the athlete’s interests,” Aminov said. He did not rule out the possibility of litigations between Rimsaite and the Lithuanian NOC. He promised fundamental legal support for the athlete.
Rimsaite in December 2010 moved from Lithuania to Russia, where she got married, and acquired Russian citizenship. She has performed for the Russian national team ever since. However, her participation in the 2012 London Olympics will require consent from the Lithuanian NOC. Without the consent of the country for which the athlete had performed earlier “Olympic citizenship” can be changed only after three years.
The NOC of Lithuania has refused to change its mind, and the International Olympic Committee at a meeting of its executive decided to deny its permission to the athlete to perform for Russia at the London Olympics.