Oksana Baiul Loses Custody of Daughter Amid Divorce
Oksana Baiul, the Olympic gold medalist figure skater, has lost custody of her daughter during what has been described as a challenging divorce. This news comes just months after she listed her mansion in Louisiana for sale.
At 48, Baiul finalized her divorce from her estranged husband, Carlo Farina, recently. The court ruling granted Farina primary custody of their 10-year-old daughter, Sophia, according to reports from court documents.
Part of the divorce agreement allows Farina to relocate to Las Vegas with Sophia.
Farina, who established his own private management company, has been leading the Las Vegas skating tour Champions on Ice since 2020, as noted on LinkedIn.
Baiul shared on Facebook, “Going through a separation or divorce is quite a long and often tough path.” She accompanied her post with a photo of Farina holding their daughter. “It’s already hard enough, but when kids are involved, their well-being comes first.”
The couple, who married in 2012, spent 13 years together and welcomed their daughter in June 2015.
Farina initiated divorce proceedings in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, stating that Baiul had issues with alcohol, claiming she was often intoxicated, and asserting they had been separated since 2022. However, Baiul challenged this, insisting their split happened only in June 2025. She had sought joint custody, alleging harassment and manipulation on Farina’s part.
Disputes between the couple persisted until they reached a settlement in October 2025.
Neither party will be required to pay spousal support, and Baiul won’t have to pay child support either.
Baiul has also agreed to attend anger management classes and will be undergoing alcohol and drug testing to ensure her sobriety, according to reports.
She reflected further on Facebook post-divorce, saying, “Unfortunately, many divorces are tumultuous and painful, leaving behind feelings of hurt and regret. As a mother, my priority is to shield my daughter from negativity. I truly hope for the understanding to move forward positively and to recognize that my decisions are made for her best interests.”
Baiul, originally from Ukraine, captured the gold medal in women’s single skating at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer when she was just 16.
After her Olympic victory, she eventually relocated to Connecticut for training and further settled in Pennsylvania, where she met Farina.
Recently, Baiul indicated she had to sell her $1.2 million mansion in Louisiana after her attempt to launch a skating school did not materialize. She expressed her sentiments on Facebook about the challenges of living in Shreveport, stating, “You can’t make a living in Shreveport. I came here with aspirations that simply didn’t pan out, and now I have to go where opportunities are.” The five-bedroom home, built in 1925, remains on the market at the same price as previously listed.
Since parting ways with her Louisiana home, Baiul has relocated to Las Vegas, where she now coaches young skaters at the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights facility.
