Dario, the ‘Russian from Crotone’ skater who dreams of the blue

Born in Crotone from Italian father and Russian mother from St. Petersburg, after being the Youth Olympic champion in ice dancing in 2020 with Russia, now wants to change his sporting citizenship but where he would like to go, in the Czech Republic, is currently being denied. Thus, in order not to remain inactive for two years and continue to cherish the dream of participating in the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, he could also become blue and thus defend the colors of his native Italy. It’s the gripping and incredible story of Dario Benitovich Cirisano which in the great mother Russia is also known by the surname ‘Consultation‘.

Resident with his mother in the city of the Tsars since he was five years old, considered a patrimony for the Russian federation, he has now asked to transit through the Czech Republic but the Moscow federation denies, as its faculty, the go-ahead. The whole affair of leaving the Russian federation was born in early January of this year when the sporting ties with Irina Khavronina with which he competed since 2018 under the guidance of Alexei Gorshko.

Looking for a new partner

Dario and Irina at the Russian Championships at the end of December after the first segment of the dance competition, finished in fifth place, withdrew for health reasons. From that moment Khavronina, also strong in her sentimental aspect, decided to train with David Narizhny who had broken up with his partner Annabelle Morozov because she was pushing to train in the United States.

At this point the 21-year-old started looking for a new partner. In early May Dario announced on social media that he would be training with Denisa Cimlova, 19 year old Czech girl from Prague. The 21-year-old Italian-Russian skater and Denisa are now in Montreal at the Ice Academy where they train Roman Agenauer, coach of the French Olympic champions, Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron. Cirisano asked the Russian federation for permission to change sports citizenship, or to switch to the Czech one, but Moscow replied ‘net’ (no). In the event of non-granting of the go-ahead, international rules provide for a one-year international stop.

The Russian Federation does not give up its “heritage”

It should also be emphasized that Cirisano is a heritage for the Russian federation and the same had invested heavily in him on an economic level. The ‘no’ to the transfer had also happened in the past to other skaters and it shouldn’t be forgotten that in figure skating Russia is the world power par excellence.

The rules of the Russian federation state that athletes of the national team, or who have been part of it, must wait two years from the request of a foreign federation. This means that if Cirisano wants to join the Prague federation, he will be able to do so no earlier than 2025, however in time for Milan Cortina. The easiest way, since Dario has a double passport, would have been a passage to Italy but to date he has preferred the Czech Republic because, apparently, Denisa’s relatives would not like the change of citizenship.

As AGI has learned from the Italian Federation, to date there are no membership requests from Dario. Regarding Cirisano’s decision, the historic and multi-titled Russian coach Tatyana Tarasova said, “we can easily do without him” adding that “it is unlikely that his absence will cause serious damage to the national figure skating”.