U.S. Pairs Champions Ruled Ineligible for 2026 Olympics as Citizenship Bid Falls Short

Strict Olympic passport rules left the newly crowned U.S. champions off the Milan roster.

Overview

Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov won the U.S. pairs title but cannot compete in Milan because Efimova is not a U.S. citizen.
U.S. Figure Skating filled the two pairs slots with Ellie Kam/Danny O’Shea and Emily Chan/Spencer Howe after the roster deadline passed without a resolution.
The Skating Club of Boston enlisted Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey to push for expedited naturalization, but paperwork was not completed in time.
Efimova moved to the United States in 2023, received a green card, and faces a three-year wait before she can seek citizenship.
The pair will compete at Four Continents in Beijing and target the World Championships in Prague under ISU rules that do not require citizenship, while keeping 2030 Olympic hopes alive.