Lithuanian President Gitans Nausėdas on Wednesday took away the state award from figure skaters Margaritas Drobjazko and Povilas Vanagas, because they took part in a performance in the Russian city of Sochi.
The decision to delete the names of the two figure skaters from the list of Lithuanian state award recipients was made following the recommendation of the Lithuanian State Awards Council.
Tatyana Navka, the former Russian figure skater and the wife of Russian President’s press representative Dmitry Peskov, informed on social media sites last week about a performance planned for August 9 at the Sochi Arena, the list of participants of which included Vanags and Drobyazko.
Earlier, the Chancellery of the President of Lithuania announced that it would consider withdrawing the state award from Drobjazko and Vanag if they actually perform in Sochi.
Lithuanian laws stipulate that the state award can be revoked if the recipient’s actions undermine the laureates’ reputation.
The bronze medalists of the 2000 world championship and two-time European bronze medalists Drobjazko and Vanags received the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Gediminas in 2000.
Drobjazko and Vanags, who started skating together during the Soviet Union, but performed as a Lithuanian duo after its collapse, live in Russia.
