Shane Perkins’ switch to Russia has been rubber-stamped after president Vladimir Putin signed an executive order to grant the Australia-born Olympic bronze medallist and dual world champion Russian citizenship. Perkins, who represented Australia and won individual sprint bronze at the 2012 Olympic Games, applied for citizenship in February after informing Cycling Australia of his intention to switch allegiances last year. Despite an impressive palmarès, which includes world titles in the keirin and the team sprint and commonwealth gold, Perkins’ career came to a juddering halt following the 2015 world championships. Cycling Australia did not stand in his way. “I have a clean slate to prove myself to Russia,” Perkins told the Guardian in April.

Source: The Guardian August 18, 2017 06:00 UTC