Olympic gold medalist figure skater Oksana Baiul is defending herself after giving up custody of her 12-year-old daughter in her divorce earlier this year.
Baiul, 48, finalized her divorce from ex-husband and former manager Carlos Farina after 13 years of marriage in January. Per the divorce settlement, Farina was awarded primary custody of the couple’s daughter, Sophia, Us exclusively reported at the time. He was also permitted to move from Louisiana to Las Vegas with their child.
The Olympic champion tagged Farina in a social media post on Wednesday, November 11, writing, “U knew I didn’t [have] a choice! Please make a move from Louisiana as pleasant as possible 🙏🏻.”
“ANY MOTHER Who is going back to reality and rebuilding her future. Understand what is involving to start from the scratch,” she wrote in another Instagram post on Wednesday.
Baiul — who won gold for the Ukraine in ladies’ singles at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer — expressed optimism about the future in a post on Thursday, November 12.
“When I look back at that brave 16-year-old Oksana, I see someone who dared to dream and kept going,” she wrote via Instagram, sharing a video of her Olympic triumph. “And today, I promise never to apologize for embracing my worth and being the best version of myself.”
Baiul and Farina’s divorce agreement stipulated that she was allowed to visit Sophia if her daughter agreed to the conditions.
The figure skater agreed to enroll in anger management classes and be tested for alcohol and drugs to “ensure she is remaining sober.”
Farina requested sole custody of Sophia at the time of their divorce, citing Baiul’s alleged history of extreme physical, emotional, mental and verbal abuse” toward him.
He called his then-estranged wife “manipulative, toxic, controlling” and a “compulsive liar.”
In response to Farina’s filing, Baiul accused Farina of being “psychologically abusive” toward her and Sophia.
The couple reached an agreement weeks later that resolved the case.
Baiul broke her silence days after officially losing custody of her daughter.
“As I’m sure anyone who has ever been through a separation or divorce knows, it is a lengthy and often devastating journey,” Baiul wrote via Facebook. “Divorce is hard enough, but when there is a child involved they must be the priority. As a mother, I ask that you please respect our privacy at this time as we move forward building our new future…..”
