Olympics-Lithuania blocks pentathlete's Russia switch

Lithuania's Olympic Committee blocked pentathlete Donata Rimsaite on Friday from competing for Russia at the London Games.

The Lithuanian, who turns 24 on Sunday, had sought permission to represent Russia in London after leaving her homeland in 2010 and taking Russian citizenship after marrying a Russian athlete.

Rimsaite was individual silver medallist for Lithuania at the 2010 world championships after also competing for the country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The national Olympic committee said in a statement that 49 members of the assembly had voted against out of 57 votes cast.

"The national Olympic committee would not allow her to take part in the London Olympics...she has chosen such a road herself," Arturas Poviliunas, the president of the Committee told reporters.

Rimsaite told Lithuania media she had left for personal reasons and to have better training conditions in Russia.