How old are Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov? Fugitive Skaters

Curriculum Vitae

Galina Alekseevna was born on April 29, 1942 in the village of Logachi, Votkinsk region of the Ukrainian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, which was later flooded when the Votkinsk reservoir was filled. Lived in the village of Stepanovo and the city of Votkinsk. She is a four-time Olympic champion, nine-time world champion in cross-country skiing, thirty-nine-time champion of the USSR, and winner of many international competitions.

For sporting achievements Kulakova G.A. awarded the Order of Lenin, three orders of the Badge of Honor, the medal “For Labor Distinction”, the medal “For Valiant Labor. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of V.I. Lenin”, was awarded the honorary title “Honored Master of Sports of the USSR”. Kulakova G.A. She was included in the Book of Honor of the Central Committee of the Komsomol, in the Honor Book of Labor Glory and Heroism of the UASSR, and she was awarded the honorary title “Honorary Citizen of the City of Izhevsk.”

By Resolution of the Chairman of the State Council of the Udmurt Republic dated October 31, 1995 No. 49-I, Galina Alekseevna Kulakova was awarded the honorary title “Honorary Citizen of the Udmurt Republic.”

Galina Alekseevna Kulakova (born April 29, 1942, village of Logachi, Votkinsky district, Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic) - Soviet skier, 4-time Olympic champion, 9-time world champion, World Cup winner, 39-time USSR champion. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1970), Honored Trainer of Russia. Supported the Trud society

She was born into a large peasant family (2 brothers and 7 sisters). Father - Kulakov Alexey Nikolaevich, died in 1941 in the battle near the city of Yelnya, Smolensk region. Mother - Kulakova Daria Arsentievna (1901-1982), collective farmer. In her youth she worked as a milkmaid at the Votkinsky state farm. She began to train seriously under the guidance of Peter Naimushin. In 1962 she graduated from Izhevsk Pedagogical College. She also graduated from the Prokopyevsky Technical School of Physical Culture. Udmurt by nationality.

Member of the USSR national team since 1967.

Won every possible gold medal at the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo (10 km, 5 km and 3x5 km relay);
1976 Olympic champion in the 3x5 km relay;
Vice-champion of the Olympic Games in 1968 (5 km, only Kulakova’s fall 500 meters before the finish allowed Swede Toini Gustafsson to get ahead of the Soviet skier) and 1980 (4x5 km relay);
Bronze medalist at the 1968 Olympic Games (3x5 km relay) and 1976 (5 km);
Won all possible gold medals also at the 1974 World Championships in Falun (10 km, 5 km and 4x5 km);
Two-time world champion in 1970 in the 5 km and 3x5 km relay;
39-time champion of the USSR: 5 km (1969, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979), 10 km (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982), 20 km) (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981), 30 km (1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980), 4x5 km relay (1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 976, 1978, 1979, 1981).
Winner of the very first World Cup 1978/79

Before the 1970 World Championships in the High Tatras, she was “given” all the world gold in advance, but the unexpected happened. Galina was taken straight from the USSR Cup race track to one of the Sverdlovsk clinics, where she underwent surgery, after which she could not recover for a long time. And when I arrived, I began to learn to walk again. Skiing was out of the question, since after such operations it was necessary to lie down for about three months and gain strength. But Galina couldn’t wait that long and did everything possible and impossible to get back into action as quickly as possible. Contrary to all forecasts and laws, Galina got up within a few weeks and began training, incredibly amazing the entire medical staff of the hospital. And when she won her five kilometers at the World Championships in Czechoslovakia, few people knew what this fantastic thing cost her from the point of view traditional medicine victory.

In 1976, at the Innsbruck Olympics, she took third place in the 5 km race, but was deprived of a bronze medal for using ephedrine (the IOC found that she put it in her nose for a cold). The award went to Soviet skier Nina Baldycheva, who took 4th place. However, Kulakova was not disqualified for the next races (10 km and relay).

She completed her sports career in 1982.

In 1984, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch awarded Kulakova the Silver Olympic Order.

Currently, Galina Kulakova lives in the village of Italmas, where her house-museum is located. “Sports and fitness ski complex named after. Galina Kulakova.

State awards:

Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (1997)
Order of Lenin (03/03/1972)
3 Orders of the Badge of Honor (04/09/1970; 05/10/1976; 04/09/1980)
Medal "For Labor Distinction" (07/24/1968)
Honored Worker of Physical Culture Russian Federation (2008)

Other awards and titles

Silver Olympic Order
Honorary citizen of the city of Izhevsk (1988)
Honorary Citizen of the Udmurt Republic
Honored Worker of Physical Culture of the Udmurt Republic
Badge “For Merit in the Development of Physical Culture and Sports” (1992)
The best athlete of Udmurtia of the 20th century

The village of Logachi, where Galina Kulakova was born, went under water after the construction of the Votkinsk hydroelectric power station. And the place where I stood native home, and remained an unflooded island of land.

Galina Alekseevna fell in love with skiing since childhood. She made them herself. The skis often broke - but she repaired them again and again. And so on until her older brother went into the army - only then did she get a real pair of skis,” this is how the guide at the Kulakova house-museum in Italmas begins her story.

The exhibition hall, which occupies one part of the house, can rightfully be called a museum of sports glory: many medals, “combat” skis, costumes, photographs, certificates... Galina Kulakova has long become a legend of Soviet sports.

The four-time Olympic champion, 39-time USSR champion and nine-time world champion herself talks about past victories and medals won without pathos and with a smile. She considers her most valuable victory to be the triumph at the Olympic Games in Sapporo (1972), when she won three golds out of three possible. But the most difficult race in Kulakova’s entire career was the race in the Murmansk region.

“The most difficult medal is at the “thirty” in Apatity. I won for three minutes, then my hands gave up. I didn’t drink on time - but I need to drink at the appointed time - and my legs don’t move, my arms don’t work. Nina (Nina Paramonova - author's note) caught up with me and said: “Galya, let's go together.” I said: “No need, go away,” Kulakova laughs.

This winter, a sore shoulder that was dislocated last fall prevented me from getting on skis. But Kulakova loves watching ski racing on TV.

“We’re watching skiing and biathlon. We stop all work and sit down. True, I didn’t have to root for Vylegzhanin today. We just can’t understand what’s going on. I feel sorry for him, it’s hard work,” she sighs and remembers what incredible efforts each of her races and training took.

“Once I rode roller skis 106 kilometers in a day. The record on skis is 84 kilometers in a day. I could do 11 thousand kilometers in a year - this includes roller skiing, running, and walking. And now the car has only driven 16 thousand kilometers,” says the champion.

There is also criticism towards modern athletes. Kulakova states that skiers now are much weaker than they were in her time.

“If Galina Alekseevna’s career had developed at this time, she would definitely have become a ten- and twelve-time Olympic champion,” confirms her colleague, skier Tamara Tikhonova.

“What is the secret of your success?” - journalists ask.

“We need to train,” the queen of the ski track answers briefly. “I always thanked my mother for teaching us all nine children to work. She was very happy for me, worried, and rooted for me.”

Kulakova moved to Italmas 23 years ago. Accustomed to work since childhood, even today the 75-year-old skier cannot imagine her life without farming.

“This morning I got up and first of all cooked potatoes for the chickens and soup for the dog. The farm is neither big nor small. Normal. Laying hens. We will buy 20 broilers soon. German Shepherd - Mukhtar. Good dog. He wants to play everything, he spent the whole winter running around the garden, developing such speed! The cat is healthy. He comes up to the bed at night and roars: let me go outside. In order not to open three doors, I immediately open the window,” says Kulakova.

In an insulated greenhouse there are seedlings of cucumbers, tomatoes and radishes. In summer, the hassle becomes even greater. As Galina Alekseevna says, most of them fall on Nina Arkadyevna’s shoulders. But Tamara Tikhonova is sure: Kulakova is flirting and, despite her age, continues to work at full strength.

But it’s not so often possible to get out to other cities, and especially countries. Due to an injured shoulder, I was unable to fly to the seaside last year, although tickets had already been purchased.

“And now we’ve gathered for the World Championships in Lahti. We made international passports. Then we sat and thought: when you get there, you have to stand all day, your knee hurts, my knee hurts, my lower back ache... you won’t get enough rest. And it's cold to sit down. It’s better on TV,” adds Nina Arkadyevna.

But living a measured life for two friends is not at all boring.

“They come for excursions often, almost every day. This week, for example, is all planned out... We walk around the yard. There is enough work. In the evening there are none,” says Paramonova.

Kulakov does not want to organize lavish celebrations in honor of his 75th birthday. And he doesn’t expect gifts.

“I don’t want anything for myself. I don't need anything. Everything is. You just need to put in the teeth,” she laughs.

However, the republic could not ignore such an event. In honor of the anniversary, Udmurtia presented Kulakova with a new car - an all-wheel drive Toyota RAV4 in metallic silver with automatic transmission transmission

“She drives herself, and, interestingly, before this year she always had “mechanics”. For the first time, she agreed that the car could have an automatic transmission. We are bringing an “automatic machine” to make it easier to operate... so that you can go pick mushrooms, and come to an event in the region, and to the hospital if necessary,” the head of the Ministry of Sports of the Republic, Igor Krasnov, told Udmurtia news agency.

The value of cultural heritage

In 2007, in Izhevsk, on the 14th kilometer of the Yak-Bodinsky tract, a

Since 1999, the district has held traditional cross-country skiing competitions for the prize of Galina Alekseevna Kulakova, which gather more than 500 participants led by heads of organizations and enterprises of the district at all levels. Athletes of the Votkinsk region strive to support the sports traditions laid down by the famous skier.

In 2013, the National Bank of the Russian Federation issued commemorative coin, which depicts Galina Alekseevna Kulakova. The coin is made of silver and to this day is in the personal museum of the great skier.

Not a single success or gain can compare with the number of victories Kulakova won at the USSR Championship. She became the winner 39 times: from 1969 to 1981! Galina demonstrates a perfect skiing style at all distances

It is estimated that the total length of its sports routes is three times the length of the equator.

She wrote the book “To Whom the Ski Track Submits.”

The poet Robert Rozhdestvensky dedicated the following lines to the Olympic champion:

The Fatherland is proud of the champion again!

Incredibly steep at a distance

everyone was running along the snowy track,

As always,

Kulakova Galina - gold.

In 2014, she took part in the Olympic torch relay in Izhevsk.

Related Attractions

In 2007, in Izhevsk, on the 14th kilometer of the Yak-Bodinsky tract, a “Sports and fitness ski complex named after. Galina Kulakova.

In Izhevsk, on the shore of the Izhevsky Pond, there is a monument “Friendship of Peoples”, which is popularly called “Kulakova Skis”

In 2013, the National Bank of the Russian Federation issued a commemorative coin depicting Galina Alekseevna Kulakova.

Alekseevna is a Soviet skier, one of the most titled athletes in the entire history of the USSR. She is also remembered for the fact that she won all her victories and achievements when she was already quite an adult by the standards of sports. This is especially noticeable in numerous photos from competitions, where she competed with much younger skiers.

Childhood and youth

Future Olympic champion Galina Alekseevna Kulakova was born at the height of the Great Patriotic War, in 1942. Her childhood cannot be called simple, because in addition to her, the family had eight children.

Already with early age he was forced to help his mother, because his father died during the war. At first she simply helped with housework, and when she got a little older, she went to work on a state farm. Even then it was clear that she could make a good athlete. Kulakova was incredibly efficient and resilient.

Despite her talents, the girl did not think at all about a sports career, because she had to help her mother.

When age approached, Galina Alekseevna Kulakova entered a pedagogical school. While studying, she started skiing. Subsequently, she decided to connect her life with this activity. After some time, she entered a physical education college.

Professional career

Until 1967, she performed only at regional and city tournaments, but already in the same year it happened an important event in the life of a skier - she was invited to the national team Soviet Union.

Already in 1968, she went to the Olympics and there received a silver award at a distance of five kilometers.

A year later, she became an Olympic bronze medalist in the relay. A year later, she won her first gold at the Soviet Union Championship.

1970 was a very successful year for Kulakova. At the world championship in the High Tatras she won two golds and one bronze.

In 1972, Galina Alekseevna Kulakova again went to the Olympics and showed simply incredible results. Despite the fact that she was already thirty years old, she won three gold awards.

Two years after the successful Olympics, Galina again performed excellently at the World Championships. After this tournament, her collection added three more gold medals.

It is believed that it was for the period from 1972 to 1976. This was the peak of the athlete’s achievements on the international stage. In subsequent years, she won only one Olympic gold, this happened in 1976. The remaining awards will be bronze or silver.

There is no way to ignore the fact that Galina Alekseevna is an athlete who managed to win the very first World Cup. This tournament took place in 1978, and the Soviet skier was already thirty-six years old. Despite her impressive age, she still won.

Performances at the USSR Championships

Indeed, Galina Alekseevna Kulakova is an outstanding athlete. Her biography is full of various significant moments, but nothing compares to how many times the skier won the championship of the Soviet Union. She owns a unique achievement that few have been able to repeat - thirty-nine victories. It is worth noting that she performed equally successfully at all distances.

A bunch of various events happened in the life of such an outstanding athlete as Galina Alekseevna Kulakova. The champion recalls her busy career with pleasure.

The skier approached the World Championships in the High Tatras as one of the main favorites. Few people know about what she had to endure to compete. It so happened that she flew off the track and was seriously injured. The skier was immediately sent to the hospital. Doctors recommended long time refrain from physical activity, but it was impossible. She did everything in her power and got back on her skis. The doctors were amazed by the courage and bravery of the athlete. While injured, she managed to win two gold medals at the world championship.

In 1976, during the Winter Olympics, Galina was accused of doping. This happened after she won a bronze medal at a distance of ten kilometers. The doping test turned out to be positive due to the fact that on the eve of the competition the girl used drops for a runny nose.

Kulakova repeatedly amazed doctors with her phenomenal health. Despite her hungry and difficult childhood, even in the most difficult conditions the woman did not get sick with anything other than a mild cold.

This is how she is, Galina Alekseevna Kulakova. short biography hers is very bright and rich, and for many young skiers she is an idol and role model.

State and personal awards

Considering the fact that the skier had achieved incredible heights, the country's leadership could not help but notice her.

In 1972, after the Olympics, she received
He has three Badges of Honor in his collection.
After the 1968 Olympics, she received the medal “For Labor Distinction.”
She is an honorary citizen of Izhevsk, as well as the Udmurt Republic.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the government of the Russian Federation also celebrated the champion. In 1997 she was awarded In 2008 she received the title of Honored Worker of Physical Education of the Russian Federation.

One cannot ignore the fact that in 1982 Juan Zamoranch awarded the athlete the Olympic Order. This order was awarded only to those athletes who contributed special contribution in development

In 2013, the National Bank of the Russian Federation issued a commemorative coin depicting Galina Alekseevna Kulakova. The coin is made of silver and to this day is in the personal museum of the great skier.

Conclusion

Today the famous athlete lives in Italmas. This village is located in Udmurtia.

Galina Alekseevna leads a quiet and calm lifestyle. She does not appear on television screens, but prefers to stay at home and do housework.

Despite the fact that she is already seventy-three years old, the former skier is still active and healthy image life. She is sure that more people moves, the better he feels.

Kulakova Galina Alekseevna will forever go down in history as one of the greatest skiers.

Galina Kulakova is a great Soviet skier who won victories at the Olympics, world championships, national championships and other various competitions many times. She amazed with her technique, endurance and will to win. Kulakova left sports at the age of forty.

Childhood and family of Galina Kulakova

Galina Kulakova’s homeland is the village of Logachi, located near the city of Votkinsk. Currently, this village does not exist; it was flooded during the construction of the Votkinsk hydroelectric power station. Because of this, the family was forced to move to the village of Stepanovo in the same region. Kulakova was raised in a family of nine children. Father, school teacher, died at the front. The girl began helping around the house from an early age, later went to work on a state farm as a laborer, and at the age of fifteen she became a calf raiser. At seventeen she was already a milkmaid and every day at five o’clock in the morning she had to milk eighteen cows.

As a schoolgirl, the girl went on skis, which were actually two boards. She got real skis in the fifth grade. The school was located three kilometers away; Galya covered this path twice a day.

The first victories of skier Galina Kulakova

Kulakova was involved in the ski section, she was good at skiing, and participated in competitions, however, without much success. The turning point occurred in 1964, when, at the request of her sister Elena, she went to the competition in her place and took second place there. After such results, Galya was chosen to participate in regional competitions. There, coach Pyotr Naimushin drew attention to her; he was amazed by the skier with a powerful run. Galina moved to Votkinsk, where she worked as a glosser at a factory and practiced cross-country skiing every day under the guidance of Naimushin. A year later, Kulakova took first place at competitions in Smolensk, winning the five and ten kilometer races.

In 1968 in Grenoble, a talented athlete could easily become an Olympic champion. Being still inexperienced, five hundred meters before the finish, she failed to cope with the descent and flew off the ski track. She didn't have enough three seconds to win. And yet, the skier did not leave her first Olympics without a medal. She returned home, bringing two medals.

Galina felt that she lacked not only experience, but also technology. Having realized her shortcomings, she began to work hard to eliminate them. Soon, her skiing became impeccable.

Galina Kulakova - champion: health problems and great success

Preparing for the 1970 World Championships, Kulakova won victories in all races. She was already seen as a future Olympic champion, but something bad happened and the athlete ended up in the hospital. She was taken there straight from the highway. Galina underwent surgery, after which she had to learn to walk again.

Nobody thought that Kulakova would be able to get on skis. She not only returned to active training, but was also able to win every single Olympic gold medal in Sapporo in 1972.

In 1974, at the World Championships in Falun, the skier won both the relay and both individual races. The athlete came to the 1976 Olympics, one might say, number one. However, illness made adjustments; Galina caught a cold. Before the start, she put drops on her nose, which is why the anti-doping commission found a prohibited drug in her body. Kulakova was stripped of her bronze medal.

In 1979, at the age of thirty-seven, the Soviet skier won the World Cup. It was expected that Kulakova could show good results in the next Olympics, but she did not rise above fifth place. Our team also lost in the relay race, losing to the team from the GDR.

At the age of forty, Galina Alekseevna decided to leave the sport. She ended her career in 1982.

Personal life of Galina Kulakova

Kulakova studied at the Izhevsk Pedagogical School, which she graduated in 1962. She also graduated from the College of Physical Education in Prokopyevsk. Higher education Galina Alekseevna received her degree at the Tchaikovsky Institute of Physical Education.

Two years after graduation sports career, Kulakova received the silver Olympic Order from the hands of Juan Antonio Samaranch. This is how the skier’s services to world sports were noted.

Kulakova was repeatedly offered to move to Moscow, but she always refused. According to her, a skier needs to live where there is snow, and besides, she considers herself a villager. The multiple champion now lives in the village of Italmas, not far from Izhevsk. Her house-museum is also located there. It was presented to the athlete on her sixtieth birthday. In the museum she receives people, shows awards and cups.

Galina Kulakova currently

In 2000, during the All-Russian Olympic Ball, the name of Galina Kulakova was named among the legends of national sports.

Galina Kulakova was married to her first coach, Pyotr Naimushin. They divorced in the late seventies. Now Kulakova lives alone. Happy man she doesn't consider herself. According to the athlete, her happiness is that she has many friends.

Two-time Olympic champion figure skater Lyudmila Belousova has died at the age of 81. The cause of death was cancer.

On September 29, the famous figure skater Lyudmila Belousova died in Switzerland at the age of 82.

According to reports from those who knew the skater, last years she was battling cancer.

Thus, figure skater Oleg Makarov ( bronze medalist 1984 Olympics in pair skating) said that in 2015 Lyudmila Belousova was diagnosed with cancer. “She had cancer, which happened about a year and a half ago. And they went to live in Switzerland... And everything seemed to be getting better for them, in August they looked good.” However, then a deterioration occurred, which led to the death of the famous athlete.

Together with her husband, she won victories at the Olympic Games in Innsbruck (1964) and Grenoble (1968).

Later the family moved to Moscow.

As a child she was interested in different types sports - gymnastics, tennis, speed skating. She started figure skating quite late - at the age of sixteen, after watching the Austrian film “Spring on Ice”.

In 1951, the first artificial skating rink in the USSR was built in Moscow, and Belousova entered the children's figure skating group.

By 1954, she was already a “public instructor” of young figure skaters in the Dzerzhinsky Park, and she herself trained in senior group. Belousova trained in tandem with Kirill Gulyaev, who soon announced that he was finishing up with the sport. Belousova decided to compete in singles.

In 1954, at a seminar in Moscow, she met Oleg Protopopov. They decided to just ride together and tried to perform some elements. The athletes thought that they suited each other. Protopopov was serving in Leningrad in the Baltic Fleet at that time, and Belousova was studying at the Moscow Institute of Engineers railway transport.

Then Belousova was transferred to the Leningrad Institute of Railway Transport Engineers, moved to Leningrad and in December 1954 the athletes began training together under the leadership of I. B. Moskvin, and for some time - P. P. Orlov. At times we worked together and staged our own programs. Belousova played for the Leningrad sports societies Dynamo and Lokomotiv.

By 1957, they were silver medalists of the USSR championship and masters of sports. In December 1957, Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov got married.

They made their debut on the international stage in 1958. The technical arsenal of the athletes was not rich, and inexperience also affected them, so they became nervous and did not perform very well at the 1958 European Championships - they made mistakes while performing simple elements.

At the 1959 European Championships there was a fall, the judges gave an average score of 5.0-5.1. At their first Olympics in 1960 in the USA, the pair received scores with wide discrepancies: from 4.6/4.5 from the Canadian judge to 5.2/5.2 from the Austrian and Swiss judges.

In the 1960s, the couple grew significantly both technically and artistically. For the first time they performed todes forward on the inner edge, the so-called. "cosmic spiral"

The first success came in 1962: the skaters finally won the USSR Championship for the first time (on the eighth attempt!) and took 2nd place at the European Championships and the World Championships, where the pair lost to the Canadian pair O. and M. Jelinek by one judge’s vote and only one tenth points.

In 1963, the couple choreographed a free program to jazz music, receiving average marks of 5.7-5.8. At the 1964 European Championships, the pair received higher marks in the compulsory program than M. Kilius - H.-Y. Bäumler (Germany), but lost to them in most places; in the free program, the pair from Germany also beat the Soviet pair and won.

At the ’64 Olympics, Kilius and Boimler unexpectedly beat by one judge’s vote, thanks to high level consistency, synchronicity and harmony of skating, beautiful spirals were performed, a combination of split jumps and an Axel in one and a half revolutions, a double Salchow, several lifts, including a jagged lasso in two revolutions. Almost all judges gave scores of 5.8-5.9.

Their 1965-68 programs became masterpieces, in which the image of lovers was revealed with inspiration, with subtle psychologism, almost absolute synchronicity of all movements, amazing beauty and smoothness of lines were achieved. Belousova - Protopopov led the world pair skating along the path of artistic enrichment of programs.

Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov (performance)

In 1966, their fiercest competition came from the new pair Zhuk - Gorelik, who lost to them at the World Championships by only one judge's vote.

At their third Olympics (1968), the couple won both programs. In the free program to the music of Rachmaninov and Beethoven, which was assessed by journalists as triumphant, the following were purely performed: the combination of double loop - steps - axel in one and a half revolutions, double Salchow, 7 different lifts, including a jagged lasso and lasso-axel, as well as a huge spiral in length in the libel position, lasting 15 seconds. Only the first starting number in the strongest warm-up did not allow the judges to give scores of 6.0, while six judges gave 5.9/5.9, two 5.8/5.9, and the judge from the GDR gave 5.8/5.8 was booed by the audience.

At the 1968 World Championships, almost all judges gave scores of 5.8/5.9, and judges from Germany and the GDR both gave 5.7/6.0.

However, then the couple began to lose to younger Soviet couples, who made the program extremely difficult. At the 1969 World Championships, the athletes made several mistakes and took third place.

In 1970, they were in the lead at the USSR Championship after completing the compulsory program, but in the sum of two types they remained only fourth and did not make it into the national team (later they announced a judicial agreement).

At the 1971 USSR Championship the couple was only sixth, and in April 1972 - third, but in the absence of the strongest couples, after which the athletes left amateur sports.

After leaving the big sport, the athletes did not part with figure skating and worked at the Leningrad Ice Ballet.

On September 24, 1979, while on ice with the Leningrad Ballet on tour in Switzerland, Belousova and Protopopov asked the leadership of this country for political asylum and refused to return to the USSR.

The athletes were deprived of the titles of Honored Masters of Sports, their names were deleted from all Soviet reference books telling about the Olympic achievements of the USSR, and the athletes themselves were openly called traitors. Belousova and Protopopov explained their step by saying that in home country the couple was not allowed to develop further; they did not want to give up the sport and believed that their talent would be more appreciated abroad. Lived in Grindelwald.

In 1995, they received Swiss citizenship, after which they were able to perform at the opening of the European Championship in Sofia (1995).

On February 25, 2003, for the first time in more than 20 years, she flew to Russia with Protopopov at the invitation of Vyacheslav Fetisov. In November 2005, they visited Russia at the invitation of the Federation figure skating St. Petersburg.

We attended the 2014 Olympics in Sochi and gave numerous interviews.

In September 2015, 79-year-old Lyudmila Belousova and 83-year-old Oleg Protopopov performed on ice in the United States at “An Evening with Champions.”

Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov in Moscow. 2015