Oh, I’m with you there. I’ve often toyed with the idea of going to Russia to see the land my ancestors came from - but then I remember why they left (hint: it wasn’t their choice and it wasn’t voluntary).
Sure, she had the choice not to take their money. On the other hand, woman athletes don’t make nearly as much as their male counterparts and she may have felt pressure to accept the work abroad in her chosen field rather than, say, flip burgers in the off season with her physical conditioning and skills atrophying.