Olympic gold medalist figure skater Oksana Baiul lost custody of her daughter during the “devastating journey” of divorce — months after she listed her Louisiana mansion for sale.
Baiul, 48, finalized her divorce from her estranged husband and former manager Carlo Farina on Monday and Farina was granted primary custody of their 10-year-old daughter, according to US Weekly, citing court documents.
As part of the agreement, Farina will be permitted to relocate from Louisiana to Las Vegas with the couple’s daughter, Sophia.
Farina is the founder of a private SFO management firm under his name and is the chief executive officer of the skating tour “Champions on Ice” since 2020 that has had a residency in Las Vegas, according to his LinkedIn.
“As I’m sure anyone who has ever been through a separation or divorce knows, it is a lengthy and often devastating journey,” Baiul wrote on Facebook Monday alongside a photo of her hugging her daughter. “Divorce is hard enough, but when there is a child involved, they must be the priority.”
Baiul married Farina in 2012 and was together for 13 years. The couple welcomed their daughter, Sophia, in June 2015.
Farina filed for divorce in Louisiana’s Caddo Parish over the summer and claimed they had been separated since 2022, alleging Baiul of abusing alcohol to the “point of intoxication” and being a “compulsive liar,” the outlet reported.
Baiul denied the lengthy separation and said they only split in June 2025. She asked the judge for joint custody of their daughter, accusing Farina of harassment and manipulation.
The spousal dispute continued until they reached an agreement in October 2025, according to the outlet.
Neither Baiul or Farina will have to pay spousal support and Baiul does not have to pay child support.
The Ukrainian native also agreed to enroll in anger management classes and will face alcohol and drug testing to ensure she remains sober, People reported.
“Unfortunately, many divorces are tumultuous and painful, often leaving lingering feelings of hurt, resentment, and regret,” Baiul said in a follow-up post Wednesday night.
“As a mother I want nothing more than to protect my daughter from the negativity and speculation that often accompanies it. I can only act in her best interest and beseech you for the grace to move forward in a positive manner and the understanding that any choices I made were in her best interests at that moment in time.”
Baiul represented her native Ukraine at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, where she won gold in the ladies’ singles skating program as a 16-year-old.
After she struck gold in Norway, Baiul moved to Simsbury, Conn., and trained at the International Skating Center of Connecticut, according to the New York Times.
She eventually settled down in Pennsylvania, where she met Farina.
In September, Baiul announced she was forced to sell her $1.2 million mansion after failing to open a skating school in Shreveport, Louisiana — seemingly weeks before they agreed on the divorce settlement.
“I can’t make a living in Shreveport. Unfortunately, I can’t,” Baiul said on Facebook. “I do love all the people here. I came for a reason, and it did not happen. I came here to create some things, but they did not come to fruition. I have to go where the ice exists.”
The 5-bedroom home, built in 1925, remains listed for sale at the same asking price as it was in the fall.
After listing the home, Baiul moved to Las Vegas where she is currently employed as a coach at the young skaters at NHL Vegas Golden Knights facility.
