Yaroslava Mahuchikh: Thought About Quitting Career After Photo Controversy

Ukrainian High Jumper Reveals Emotional Toll of Olympic Photos

"I felt like I was responsible for bringing shame on Ukraine," she confides.

Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh has opened up about the toll the controversy surrounding her photos with Russian athlete Mariya Lasitskene at the Tokyo Olympics took on her mental health.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Mahuchikh revealed that she had considered quitting her career in the wake of the scandal.

"I felt like I was responsible for bringing shame on Ukraine," she said. "I was getting so many negative comments from people, and it was really starting to affect me."

The scandal erupted after Mahuchikh and Lasitskene were photographed hugging and smiling on the podium after the high jump final at the Olympics.

The photos sparked outrage in Ukraine, with many people accusing Mahuchikh of being unpatriotic for associating with a Russian athlete during a time of heightened tensions between the two countries.

Mahuchikh said she was "naive" to think that the photos would not cause a backlash.

"I was just trying to show that there is no room for politics in sports," she said. "But I understand now that it was not the right thing to do."

Mahuchikh said she has been in therapy since the Olympics to help her cope with the emotional fallout from the scandal.

"I'm still trying to forgive myself for what happened," she said. "But I'm slowly starting to move on."

Mahuchikh is now preparing for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

She said she is determined to prove that she is a true patriot and that she will not let the scandal define her career.

"I want to show the world that I am a strong Ukrainian woman," she said. "I am proud of my country, and I will never stop fighting for it."