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Russian Olympic champion ice dancer Kostomarov expected to make full recovery, says Navka

Roman Kostomarov was initially connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) life support machine

SOCHI, June 20. /TASS/. Roman Kostomarov, Russia’s 2006 Winter Olympic champion in ice dancing, who entered the hospital in January for pneumonia, is exercising daily and showing good signs, his former partner and Olympic gold medalist Tatyana Navka told TASS on Tuesday.

A source close to the situation told TASS on June 13 that Kostomarov was undergoing rehabilitation as part of preparations to be fitted with prosthetics in two-three weeks time.

"Roman Kostomarov is exercising daily, doing two workouts a day," Navka said. "He is getting ready for prosthetics."

"He is strong and I believe that everything will be alright, I don’t have the slightest doubt about it. He is progressing positively; let it all go as it is supposed to go," Navka added.

According to reports from earlier this year, Kostomarov was rushed to the ICU at Moscow’s Kommunarka Hospital on January 10 for treatment for lung inflammation. TASS sources reported later that the skater was in critical condition and was put on life support.

Kostomarov was initially connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) life support machine. He was then taken off of the ECMO machine on January 24, but was still suffering from sepsis and problems with blood circulation.

Sources close to the situation, cited by TASS, reported in early February that both of his feet had been amputated.

Russia’s Moskovsky Komsomolets daily reported later that Kostomarov underwent another surgical operation during which all of the fingers on his left hand had to be amputated.

Kostomarov, 45, won a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, where he skated with partner Tatyana Navka in the ice dancing event.

The duo of Kostomarov and Navka also clinched two gold medals at the World Championships, took home three golds at the European championships, and another three golds plus a silver at the ISU Grand Prix Finals.

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