Earlier this week, she announced that she was planning to return to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to resume her activities on the Athletes' Commission as she does not fall under any sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In general, one should not be surprised that the slogan "sport is out of politics!" is screamed loudest by the country most politicising sport.

Unlike Russian politicians, athletes really enjoy sincere people's love and support.

It is for this, and by no means for their outstanding mind and oratorical skills, that athletes are included in party lists and then "elected" as Deputies of the State Duma, a body that even an apolitical Russian arouses ridicule at best.

Of course, the presence of a star athlete in the Duma, in fact, changes little, but the logic is clear - to make the institution of democracy, which has become quite alien to the people, as it happened in Russian political practice, at least a little more legitimate.

It is not just about pragmatism. 

The highest-ranking inhabitants of the Russian political system sincerely love sports, allocate a lot of money for its development, so it is quite natural that in return they reasonably want to see support from athletes at key moments - such as elections or, for example, the "special military operation."

Now, the famous stars, the list of which was diligently checked in advance by competent comrades in formal suits, obediently go on stage, and on their jackets a ribbon in the shape of the letter "Z," the symbol of the "special military operation" shines.

Of course, all athletes are living people with their own views, often quite uncomplicated.

After all, there is no Hegelian philosophy or Keynesian economics in the curriculum of the sports schools and universities they all graduate from. 

I am sure that most athletes do not care about all this politics.

However, they are told all their lives that the state has invested a lot of money in their success, therefore, if they ask, the debt will have to be returned.

Now the Russian authorities, having turned things around with their "special operation," are struggling to pretend that nothing special has happened and life goes on as usual.

In reality, of course, this is not the case, and it is especially important that the active support of the regime entails consequences, and that all athletes begin to realise this.

Therefore, the case of Isinbayeva, who is trying to sit on two chairs, is of immense importance.

Of course, no matter how sincere her support for Vladimir Putin as a proxy in the 2018 elections was, and no matter how active she was in the working group to rewrite the constitution, Isinbayeva's role in both cases was small.

But you cannot erase the words from the song, and Yelena Isinbayeva laid her little brick in strengthening the foundation of the current political regime.

Of course, the ease with which she received a residence permit in Spain causes outrage, especially against the background of the fact that ordinary Russians who fled from the regime and the war regularly face refusals of residence permits and closure of bank accounts.

Eventually, the regime in Russia will change, and crowds of such "citizens of the world" will take off all the old insignia, clean up posts on social networks and move to Europe in the hope of living a calm and well-fed life. 

I would not want them to be able to do this as easily as Yelena Isinbayeva is doing now.

I think many will agree that if Isinbayeva publicly condemned the Russian authorities and the war they are waging against Ukraine, there would be much fewer questions for her, and she would be able to enjoy her nice life in Europe.