The bronze medalist from the 2014 Sochi Olympics and winner of the 2011 Snowboarding World Championship, Alena Zavarzina, has admitted that she is experiencing depression due to worsening living conditions in London and difficulties in finding steady employment. In an interview with Sports, the Russian athlete discussed her situation.
Zavarzina said, "It's difficult to make a breakthrough in a new profession. Everything is very expensive in England. Finding a decent job is hard. I am simply overwhelmed with worry, it's tough to go through all this. You grow up quickly when you realize that if you don't find work and gather enough money for rent, you'll end up on the streets. I'm renting out an apartment in Moscow and I can't afford to pay for a room here. I have just enough to cover half of it."
The snowboarder added that she has been unable to find work in the British capital due to her Russian surname, and rent prices and food costs in stores have almost doubled. According to her, employers claim that they don't pay attention to a potential employee's name and passport, but every recruiter, after reading her last name, immediately inquires about a work permit. Meanwhile, individuals who have not come from Russia are not asked such questions. Zavarzina's depression has been triggered by these living conditions.
Currently, Zavarzina is 35 years old. She ended her sports career in the summer of 2018 and moved to London permanently. There, she completed a design college and is now trying to work in Britain in her field.
It's worth noting that Alena Zavarzina, who was previously married to American snowboarder Vic Wild, has expressed outrage over the expedited granting of Russian citizenship to athletes. The couple married in 2011, after which her spouse obtained Russian citizenship and began competing for our country, becoming a two-time champion at the 2014 Olympics.
