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Rudolf Nureyev found himself at odds with the leadership of his ballet company, having violated restrictions regarding interaction with foreigners while abroad. His lifestyle choices also came under scrutiny, as he was reportedly spotted in gay bars in Paris. As his fellow company members were set to travel to London, various fabricated justifications for his return to the Soviet Union were presented to him, including the need for a special dance performance and claims that his mother was seriously ill. However, Nureyev had other plans. With assistance from the French police and the fiancée of a French minister’s son, he managed to evade the authorities and sought asylum in France.