Chusovitina on German Team (11th October, 2006)

The FIG announced yesterday (10th October) that they have officially approved the change in Oksana Chusovitina’s nationality status from Uzbek to German. Speaking to the FIG in Aarhus, Oksana thanked the gymnastics community and in particular Dr Peter Brüggemann for helping her son Alisher throughout his illness. Alisher was admitted to the children’s hospital in Cologne in October 2002.

Oksana said, ‘The situation was really bad, a matter of life or death. It was Dr Brüggemann who secured a place for my son in the hospital and served a guarantee for the huge fees to be paid. I did not and do not have any other choice than working hard to cover the fees. Alisher remained full time in the hospital for two years. Then we were allowed to take him home with Control examinations held every two weeks. Gradually, the frequency of these checks was reduced to one visit every three months. On 18th November my son will be 7 years old. He is now a vital and playful first-year schoolboy, attends gymnastics classes occasionally and is dreaming to start practising football.’

Oksana’s husband Bahadir Kurbanov (Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympian in Wrestling, Greco-Ronal style) has now joined the family permanently in Germany after two years of only being able to stay in the country on a visitors visa. Speaking of her ambitions at these World Championships, Oksana said, ‘To compete in the All-around and to do well. I keep competing for Alisher.’