Neftchi women's 3x3 basketball team made a successful start to the FIBA 3x3 World Series stage in Manila, but attention around the Azerbaijani side also focused on the presence of Russian basketball player Elizaveta Bratchikova.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the 30-year-old athlete travelled to the Philippines with the team, something confirmed through her own social media posts. Earlier reports in local media suggested Bratchikova could become eligible to represent Azerbaijan internationally once her sporting citizenship receives official approval.
However, the player was not included in Neftchi’s official roster for the tournament. It is believed she travelled with the squad to take part in the team’s training process during the competition.
In response to an enquiry from İdman.Biz, the press service of the Azerbaijan Basketball Federation effectively confirmed progress regarding the player’s switch, stating that an official announcement would be made once all details are finalised.
Meanwhile, Bratchikova’s profile on the FIBA website already lists both Russian and Azerbaijani citizenships, although Russia still appears as her registered national team.
According to FIBA 3x3 records, the player has limited experience in the discipline, with participation in one previous tournament - Tinkoff Girl Power - where she represented the team What is thizzz.
In traditional basketball, Bratchikova has played for several Russian clubs. During the 2024/2025 season, she averaged 5.2 points and 2.8 rebounds for Nika Syktyvkar in the Russian Premier League. She has also represented Russia at junior and youth international levels and received a call-up to the senior national team’s open training camp in 2022.
