Massot gets German citizenship, path cleared for Pyeongchang

Published Nov. 24, 2017 6:19 p.m. ET

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) Bruno Massot learned Thursday he has passed his German citizenship test, clearing the way for him and partner Aliona Savchenko to compete at the Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Massot was born in Caen, France, and qualified for the 2014 Sochi Games on the French team, but he was held out of the Olympics because partner Daria Popova did not gain French citizenship in time.

He has since partnered with Savchenko, a Sochi participant, and been working to become a German citizen. This was his third time taking the German citizenship test, and the final time he would be able to qualify for citizenship in time for the Olympics.

''It's really different,'' Massot told The Associated Press, ''because I don't have this now anymore in my head, this question like, `I will be blocked again, or not?'''

Massot's naturalization ceremony will take place next Wednesday. Massot and Savchenko are in Lake Placid competing at Skate America this week.

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