Alexei Svirin, President of the Russian Rowing Federation (FGSR), told Russian official state news agency TASS: "Anya Prakatsen intends to compete for the national team of Uzbekistan.

"Of course, her departure for our team is a serious loss, but every athlete is free to choose their own destiny.

"Now our top athletes are having a difficult time, it is very difficult to find motivation in the conditions of suspension."

The 30-year-old rower, born in the Belarus capital of Minsk, also won the European title in 2021.

"In the winter-spring period Anya partly trained on her own, partly with the national team," Svirin said.

"Then she had thoughts of ending her career altogether, but after that she decided to represent Uzbekistan in order to be able to compete in international competitions."

Svirin revealed that, in 2018, the FGSR had refused an offer from the Uzbekistan Rowing Federation to accommodate Russian athletes who were ready to change their citizenship in order to be able to compete abroad.

Now he says that such a transition must be approved by the International Federation, World Rowing.

"I think that the International Federation has already been contacted, and this issue has been considered," Svirin added.

"If the International Federation approves the transition, then there will be no point in preventing the athlete from competing for Uzbekistan.

"There is a quarantine of 24 months, but the Executive Committee of the International Rowing Federation (sic) can reduce it to due to the circumstances in which Russian athletes now are.

"Therefore it cannot be ruled out that Prakaten will be able to compete for Uzbekistan at the Olympics in Paris."

Prakatsen began competing for Belarus but switched to represent Russia in 2016 and became its first athlete since 1980 to win an Olympic single sculls medal.