Coach Volkov called Ivy directly on a Sunday afternoon, his voice carrying an unusual tension that immediately signaled the call wasn't routine.
"I need to tell you something uncomfortable," he said, once she'd picked up. "I received a call yesterday from a senior USA Fencing administrator. Someone within the International Federation's leadership has raised 'concerns' about your ongoing eligibility for continued national team development, citing 'conflicts of interest' related to your public advocacy work."
Ivy's stomach dropped. "Petrovsky."
"I can't confirm that directly, but the timing and the vagueness of the complaint certainly fits the pattern you and Ms. Chen have been tracking." Coach Volkov's voice had gone careful, weighing how much concern to convey without unnecessarily alar
