Armenian athletes to miss European Figure Skating Championships amid UK visa issue

Armenian figure skaters will miss the European Figure Skating Championships after failing to receive UK entry visas in time, the Figure Skating Federation of Armenia reports.

National team skater Simon Danilyants and the pairs team of Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin will not compete at the championships, one of the key events of the 2025-26 season.

In a statement on Wednesday, the federation said all required documents had been submitted on time, but the British Embassy did not issue the visas within the designated deadlines. As a result, the team lost the opportunity to take part in the competition.

The federation described the situation as a serious blow to the athletes’ seasonal preparation, competitive development and international rankings, adding that years of training should not be undermined by administrative delays.

It said efforts were underway to prevent similar situations in the future and to protect the rights of Armenian athletes.