According to Vasiliev, he wants to maintain his physical condition now, but focus not on competitions, but on creative development and regaining the joy of skating. At the same time, the athlete is no longer part of the Latvian Olympic team and does not have an agreement with the Latvian Speed Skating Association that would guarantee him support. Vasiliev emphasized that the decision does not mean the end of his career. He noted that he is proud of participating in three Olympic Games and believes that he has not yet realized his full potential. Whether the athlete will return to competitions after the break will become clear within a year. Currently, one of the tasks remains complete recovery from a hand injury sustained in May. Additionally, Vasiliev continues to work: at the end of August, he was a coach at a sports camp in Ankara and is involved in other projects. Previously, the figure skater had already faced difficulties with funding. Last year, due to delays in payments from the Latvian Olympic team, he missed prestigious competitions in Germany and temporarily suspended cooperation with coach Stéphane Lambiel. Later, financial issues were resolved. Throughout his career, Vasiliev has become a bronze medalist at the European Championships. His best result at the World Championships is sixth place in 2018. He has also competed in the Olympics three times, and this year he placed 18th in Milan and Cortina.
