By David Gold

Yana Stadnik_26-10-11October 26 - Wrestler Yana Stadnik (pictured right) has been left hoping for a Home Office reprieve if she is to compete for Britain at the London 2012 Olympic Games.


The Ukrainian-born wrestler has been part of the British team since 2007 but is still waiting on her application to become a British citizen.

As things stand, the 24-year-old will not qualify to be a British citizen until 2013 unless Home Secretary Theresa May intervenes to speed up her naturalisation.

Stadnik is a European Championships silver medallist in the 48kg category and she wants to give British women's wrestling a bigger profile.

The Home Office say that there are no plans to fast track Stadnik's application, though they have confirmed it is still possible.

"The Olympics is a special dream, but I don't want to beg," says Stadnik.

"I just keep training and waiting for the decision.

"If they let me, I will be very thankful - it will make my dream come true.

"I want to compete for GB to help British wrestling, and also female wrestling, because here it is a very young sport.

"Anything I do get for GB helps bring more investors in the sport."

British Wrestling chief executive Colin Nicholson has thrown his support behind Stadnik.

"Yana wants to naturalise and British Wrestling is very happy to support what she wants to do as an individual," he said.

"She's been here for a long time, invested a lot of effort and been winning medals for GB since 2007."

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