Russian figure skating champ Tuktamysheva says unfaithful men can be forgiven as stunner admits lack of sex has not bothered her

Russian figure skating champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva has said men and women cannot be compared when it comes to attitudes around adultery – and says she does not have the same "needs" as men when she has spells without sex.

Former world champion Tuktamysheva has had a spectacular year, coming second at the World Championships and leading Russia at the World Team Trophy.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given her successes, the 24-year-old has cut a carefree figure while showing off snaps from an idyllic trip to the Maldives in the last week, walking along a beach in a glamorous dress and attributing her happiness to the sun and food.

Last week, she posted from her trip to warn that she is "not available", and she also spoke of her joy at returning to the Russian national team for the Olympic season.

"I am insanely glad to inform you that I am a part of the Russian national team team," she told her following of more than 283,000 on Instagram. "  press the gas until the end."

Tuktamysheva is the only member of the squad who is not coached by Eteri Tutberidze, with Anna Shcherbakova, Alexandra Trusova, Kamila Valieva, Daria Usacheva and Maya Khromykh joining her.

Away from the ice, she confirmed her split from fellow figure skater Andrei Lazukin in February 2020 – and she has suggested that she was happy enough before she began seeing the 2019 World Team Trophy bronze medalist.

"Men probably really have certain kinds of needs," she said, when asked by '50 Questions' about infidelity in relationships.

"I don't think it's worth comparing men and women in this regard.  If you take me, then I have no such need if there is no sex for a long time. Moreover, before I met with Andrei, everything was fine. 

"But I believe that if you love each other, respect and value each other, then you probably won't let it happen.

"If you start to do it, then you changed it once – and it will go on. I have not come across this, but I guess it is [how it is]."

Tuktamysheva feels that she would be unlikely to cheat but says that men are often tempted by women.

"I dont know," she said, pondering her own sense of loyalty and saying that she could forgive such indiscretions from a partner in certain circumstances.

"Everyone has a situation where a flash of passion occurs. But [I would] probably not [cheat].

"Men sometimes need it. There are situations when a woman clearly provoked [a man].

"In some case, it seems to me, [a woman] could forgive. But again, I speak without experience. Maybe now I’m saying one thing, but in reality it would turn out to be completely different."