Tatiana Navka

Early life

Tatiana Navka was born on 13 April 1975 in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union. She is the daughter of Raisa, an economist, and Aleksandr, an engineer, and has a younger sister, Natalia. In 1988, she moved to Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR.

Career

Early years in skating

Tatiana Navka became interested in skating at the age of five after seeing it on television. Tamara Yarchevskaya and Alexander Rozhin coached her during her early years as a single skater. In 1987, following a 14 cm growth spurt that hampered her jumps, her parents were advised that she should try ice dancing.

Partnership with Gezalian

In 1988, at the invitation of Russian coach Natalia Dubova, Navka relocated to Moscow and began training at the Moskvich sports club, partnered with Samvel Gezalian. The two represented the Soviet Union early in their career, winning gold at the 1991 Skate America and 1991 Nations Cup. Following the country's dissolution, Navka/Gezalian chose to skate for Belarus. They placed ninth in their debut at the European and World Championships, in 1993.

In the 1993–94 season, Navka/Gezalian won silver at the 1993 Skate Canada International and placed fourth at the 1993 NHK Trophy. They competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, placing 11th, before achieving their career-best Worlds result, fifth at the 1994 World Championships in Chiba, Japan. In 1994–95, Navka/Gezalian won silver at the 1994 NHK Trophy and went on to achieve their best European result, fourth, at the 1995 European Championships in Dortmund. Their partnership came to an end following the 1995 World Championships, where they placed seventh.

Partnership with Morozov

Navka teamed up with Nikolai Morozov in 1996, continuing to represent Belarus. At their first practice at the 1997 World Championships, Morozov sustained a torn meniscus in his knee but they finished 14th at the event and he then underwent surgery. They earned an Olympic berth by winning gold at the 1997 Karl Schäfer Memorial. 90 seconds into their free dance at the 1998 Winter Olympics, nearly three-quarters of the floodlights turned off but Navka/Morozov did not interrupt their performance. They finished 16th at the Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and 10th at the 1998 World Championships in Minneapolis. They were coached by Alexander Zhulin and Bob Young at the International Skating Center in Simsbury, Connecticut. Following 1998 Worlds, Navka ended the partnership to compete with another skater.

Partnership with Kostomarov

Navka then teamed up with Roman Kostomarov and began competing for Russia during the 1998–99 season. They were coached by Natalia Linichuk. They won the bronze medal at the Russian Championships and were sent to the World Championships in their first season together, placing 12th. Linichuk then dissolved the team and paired Kostomarov with Anna Semenovich. Navka became pregnant with her daughter and took a year off from competition.

In mid-2000, Kostomarov called Navka and asked to skate with her again. They were coached by Alexander Zhulin in Hackensack and Montclair, New Jersey. Navka/Kostomarov won the World title in 2004 and again in 2005. They also won three European titles from 2004 to 2006. They then won gold at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. At the age of 30 years and 313 days, she became one of the oldest female figure skating Olympic champions.

Navka/Kostomarov retired from competition after the Olympics but continue to skate in shows together.

Later career

Navka has partnered with Russian celebrities to compete in Channel One Russia ice shows: Stars On Ice, which she won with actor Marat Basharov, and Ice Age, in which she was runner-up with actor Ville Haapasalo. In the 2008–09 season of Ice Age, she was runner-up for the second time, partnered with actor Vadim Kolganov.

In September 2008, Navka, together with professional dancer Alexander Litvinenko, took part in the Eurovision Dance Contest 2008. In October 2011, she became a 2014 Winter Olympics (Sochi) ambassador.

Personal life

Navka became a citizen of Belarus by 1994 and of Russia no later than 2002. She formerly resided in New Jersey.

In 2000, Navka married Russian ice dancer Alexander Zhulin. Their daughter, Sasha, was born in May 2000 in the United States. The couple filed for divorce in the summer of 2009 and were officially divorced in July 2010.

Navka and Russian diplomat Dmitry Peskov, the press spokesman for Vladimir Putin, have a daughter, Nadezhda (Nadia), born in August 2014 in Russia. They married in a civil ceremony at a registry office in June 2015 before a larger ceremony on 1 August 2015.

In May 2020, Navka was hospitalized for COVID-19.

Controversies

From 2014 to 2015, Navka was the beneficiary of Carina Global Assets Ltd., an offshore company in the British Virgin Islands. An investigation by The Guardian suggested that Navka may have underreported income, claimed married status for several years after her divorce from Zhulin, and falsely told the IRS that she had sold a house in the United States.

In 2016, Navka caused controversy when she and her dancing partner, Andrey Burkovsky, appeared in the Russian version of Dancing on Ice dressed as Holocaust concentration camp prisoners. Navka and Burkovsky said that the dance was inspired by the 1997 film Life Is Beautiful and was not intended to cause offense.

In 2021, Navka made and published sexist comments about Spanish rhythmic gymnast Cristofer Benítez.

Sanctions

On 11 March 2022, Navka was included in the list of specially designated nationals sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury as part of the international sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War due to her being the family of Dmitry Peskov, who had been blacklisted earlier in March because of his key role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On 3 June, she was sanctioned by the European Union. On 21 November, she was sanctioned by New Zealand.

She was sanctioned by the UK government in 2022 in relation to the Russo-Ukrainian War.

Programs

With Kostomarov

With Morozov

With Gezalian

Competitive highlights

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

With Kostomarov for Russia

With Morozov for Belarus

With Gezalian for Belarus and the Soviet Union

References

References

1. Walker, Shaun. (12 May 2020). "Vladimir Putin's spokesman in hospital with coronavirus". [[The Guardian]].
2. (6 February 2019). "Questions over lifestyle of Putin's aide and his wife's $10m property empire". Guardian.
3. (27 November 2016). "Holocaust TV skating routine draws anger".
4. Staff, Our Foreign. (30 November 2016). "Vladimir Putin spokesman's wife sparks outrage with 'Holocaust-on-ice' dance routine".
5. Allen, Gavin. (27 November 2016). "Russian Strictly Come Dancing's super-intense SS guard routine".
6. Bermúdez, Alejandro. (25 July 2021). "El vergonzoso comentario de Tatiana Navka, ex patinadora rusa, sobre el gimnasta Cristofer Benítez: "La gimnasia artística es un deporte femenino"". [[El Periódico de Catalunya]].
7. (11 March 2022). "Treasury Sanctions Kremlin Elites, Leaders, Oligarchs, and Family for Enabling Putin's War Against Ukraine". [[United States Department of the Treasury]].
8. Lane, Barnaby. (15 March 2022). "An Olympic gold medal-winning skater married to Putin's spokesman is the latest Russian sports star slapped with sanctions". [[Insider Inc.]].
9. (3 June 2022). "EU blacklists "butchers" of Bucha and Mariupol in latest Russia sanctions". [[Reuters]].
10. Mahuta, Nanaia. (21 November 2022). "Further sanctions on the political and economic elites of Russia and Belarus". [[New Zealand Government]].
11. Pearse, Adam. (21 November 2022). "Russia-Ukraine war: President Vladimir Putin's daughters sanctioned by New Zealand". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
12. "CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK".
13. "Tatiana NAVKA / Samvel GEZALIAN". International Skating Union.
14. "Tatiana NAVKA / Nikolai MOROZOV". International Skating Union.
15. "Tatiana NAVKA / Roman KOSTOMAROV". International Skating Union.
16. "Tatiana NAVKA / Roman KOSTOMAROV: 2000/2001". International Skating Union.
17. "Tatiana NAVKA / Roman KOSTOMAROV: 2001/2002". International Skating Union.
18. "Tatiana NAVKA / Roman KOSTOMAROV: 2002/2003". International Skating Union.
19. "Tatiana NAVKA / Roman KOSTOMAROV: 2003/2004". International Skating Union.
20. "Tatiana NAVKA / Roman KOSTOMAROV: 2004/2005". International Skating Union.
21. "Tatiana NAVKA / Roman KOSTOMAROV: 2005/2006". International Skating Union.
22. "Татьяна Александровна Навка".
23. Mittan, Barry. (19 December 2004). "Morozov Tops Worlds Choreographers". Skate Today.
24. Mittan, Barry. (26 August 2003). "Navka and Kostomarov Close to World Dance Podium". GoldenSkate.
25. "Eurovision Dance Contest info page".
26. Gold, David. (28 October 2011). "Navka unveiled as Sochi 2014 ambassador". InsideTheGames.
27. "Navka & Kostomarov :: The Team :: Biographies". Official website of Navka & Kostomarov at Ice-dance.com.
28. "Navka & Kostomarov :: The Skating :: Programs". Tatiana Navka & Roman Kostomarov: Official Website.
29. (16 July 2015). "Olympic Skating Champion to Marry Russian President Putin's Spokesman". [[The Moscow Times]].
30. (6 October 2010). "Жулин: Мы официально развелись с Навкой". Life News.
31. "Профиль звезды: Татьяна Навка". 7days.ru.
32. Unlike most skating competitions, the [[Olympic Games#Citizenship. Olympics]] require that competitors be citizens of the country they are representing. Consequently, it is likely that Navka was granted Belarusian citizenship by 1994 and retained it until 1998, if not later (she competed for Belarus at the 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics). She was a Russian citizen by 2002 as she represented Russia at that year's Winter Olympics.
33. (13 April 2015). "Мемория. Татьяна Навка". polit.ru.
34. Kostina, Elena. (October 2014). "Татьяна Навка: первые фотографии с дочкой". 7days.ru.
35. Hine, Tommy. (6 February 1998). "Skating Center Athletes". Hartford Courant.
36. Hine, Tommy. (17 February 1998). "Navka, Morozov Light Up The Dark". Hartford Courant.
37. (April 2016). "Dmitry Peskov - The Panama Papers". [[Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project]].
38. Harding, Luke. (4 April 2016). "Kremlin dismisses revelations in Panama Papers as 'Putinphobia'". [[The Guardian]].
39. Oliphant, Ronald. (3 August 2015). "Vladimir Putin's spokesman in luxury watch scandal". [[The Daily Telegraph.
40. (11 February 2019). "Revealed: wife of Putin's spokesman faces questions over US tax affairs". The Guardian.