In June 2023, two-time Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva became a defendant in an IOC investigation. Her possible military activities turned out to be under review, since the athlete represented the Central Sports Club of the Army (CSKA) until 2018, was awarded the rank of major, and also received a medal from the hands of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu “For Strengthening the Combat Commonwealth”.

In addition, Isinbayeva officially signed a five-year contract to serve in the Russian army.

In 2015, the CSKA press service reported that Isinbayeva was enrolled in the military position of an athletics instructor, and Sergei Shoigu signed the order to this effect.

“I am extremely happy to return to the ranks of CSKA, whose possibilities are endless,” Isinbayeva said.

Also, the three-time world champion in the outdoor pole vault received a position on the IOC Athletes’ Commission, where she has been working since 2016.

However, with the start of Russia‘s special operation in Ukraine, Isinbayeva’s activities in the International Olympic Committee were in doubt. The athlete was suspended from work until the review of the ethics commission is over. In the end, the decision was made in favor of the champion.

“The commission came to the conclusion that from February 24, 2022 until now, Elena Isinbayeva had no contractual ties with the Russian army or law enforcement agencies and did not support Russia’s special operation in Ukraine”,

– RIA Novosti quotes a commentary from the IOC press service.

This allowed Isinbayeva to keep her post, which she announced on Instagram (the owner of Meta is recognized as extremist in Russia and banned) in Spanish, and also duplicated on her VKontakte page in Russian.

“There was a temporary pause in work, the IOC needed time to figure everything out. But now I can happily announce that already in September 2023 I will resume my international activities at the IOC, since the IOC has no doubts about me and I am not subject to any sanctions,” Isinbayeva wrote.close 100% isinbaevayelena/Instagram (the owner of Meta is recognized as extremist in Russia and banned)

In the same statement, the Olympic champion emphasized that her rank of major is “nominal”, since she was not in the service of the RF Armed Forces.

Isinbayeva did not comment on her five-year contract for military service.

“I played for the CSKA club and was awarded high titles for my sporting achievements. Those ranks that are now being talked about are nominal, since I have never served in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Just like I have never been a State Duma deputy or a member of any party, ”the champion wrote.

This is how Isinbayeva responded to criticism from the Spanish media, who wrote that she allegedly finally moved from Russia to Tenerife, but continues to be a confidant of Vladimir Putin, a major in the Russian Armed Forces and supports a special operation.”Meanness and betrayal”: Isinbayeva renounced her military rank and called herself a “man of the world” Two-time Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva made an unexpected statement…

As for the information about moving to Spain, the Olympic champion did not refute these allegations, but hinted that her photos on the local streets could be “10 years old”.

She also urged not to believe the “fake” information, but did not specify what exactly she was talking about, and called herself a “man of the world.”

“I live where I work. I have always believed and will believe in the best sides of every person – even those people who are “ready to throw a stone at me” just because someone somewhere said something, wrote or distributed a photo 10 years ago that does not have no connection with reality,” Isinbayeva wrote.“Luxury lives”: the media said that Isinbayeva left Russia and moved to Tenerife The newspaper of the Spanish island of Tenerife El Digital Sur reported in its material that the two-time Olympic … 12 July 20:42

Despite the resumption of activities in the IOC Athletes’ Commission, the Olympic champion continues to be under the sanctions of Ukraine.

On February 26, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky imposed restrictions on Isinbayeva and a number of other Russian athletes to enter the country. The sanctions also provide for the blocking of assets and the prohibition of the withdrawal of capital from the country.