Russian rhythmic gymnastics star, Aleksandra Soldatova revealed two days ago she was suffering from an eating disorder: bulimia. Just a few days before she talked to Tass Press Agency, Russian yellow press confirmed that Aleksandra tried to commit suicide and she was admited into a psychiatric ward at a hospital in Moscow. Hours later, her coach Anna Dyachenko published on her Instagram account a video of Sasha, saying that she was at the hospital because she had an accident with a knife during breakfast, rejecting all press declarations. Sasha appeared for a Gala Show at Grand Prix in Moscow this weekend.

However, this recent reports led Soldatova to open up on her battle with bulimia for at least, two years, that has constantly affected her. She confirmed she told to her coaches that she was suffering from this disease in summer of 2018. Anna Dyachenko, her coach, talked to her for up to three hours.

“Every time when I faced the choice: sport or my health, I chose sport.”

She could compete at the European Championships in 2019, getting good results. After this, she was admitted to the hospital again for a month.

“But after training, everything got worse again and Irina Viner said that I should first fully recover, feel more confident about myself”

The alarms lighted up when in September of last year, Soldatova lost consciousness at a World Cup event in Portugal, leading to her being left out of the Russian team for that month’s World Championships. She confirmed that she ate alone and went everywhere alone, ignoring what was going on with her while her health condition was getting worse.

“My life was divided between my battle with the illness and this beautiful sport.”

Soldatova said she is taking a career break and not in a rush with her treatment, acknowledging that “professional sports and bulimia are not compatible, especially when you need to prepare for the Olympic Games.”

Source: Tass Agency

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