Russia returns to the World Fencing Championships, a competition that will take place in Tbilisi (Georgia), July 22-30, and to which either admitted as neutral athletes: Sofya Velikaya and Yana Egorian champions to individual and team tests. Olga Nikitina (team medals on Tokyo 2020) also competes and, in the male sample, Kamil Ibragimov.
Ukrainian Olga Kharlan, enjoying the Olympics of 2024
The Russian fencing will compete as neutrals, but the Ukrainian champion Olga Kharlan reacted harshly to the decision: ““Neutrality” comes to the World Championships in Tbilisi … Bravo, either!“Kharlan wrote in a post, accompanied by images with the three athletes photographed with the Russian military authorities and President Vladimir Putin.
Olga Khanlan left Ukraine three years ago, but suffers for her country. “When Russia violates the rules, no one is surprised anymore“, The Olympic doubles wrote in a long Instagram post.
Added: “But when either they disguise these violations, it is a slap on the face. A slap slap and its recommendations, the Olympic Charter. And a slap of each scrimin. Today, Russia has such power on either the federation has openly violated the IOC recommendations, allowing the entry of clear war propagandists, military personnel and even registering them in team test.”.
Velikaya, Egorian and Nikitina are members of the Tska Club (Autonomous Federal Institution of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation), the sports group of the Russian army, a condition that is not passed among the eligibility criteria after the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, on February 24, 2022.
The Ukrainian federation made its voice heard by an official statement. And other Ukrainian athletes protested. “Finally, they let them go. Army. At the World Championships“Wrote Helena Kravațka, gold medalist in the sword team in Paris 2024.
“I can’t stay silent. The Russian fencing, which I remember from the Rio 2016 Olympics, were admitted to participate in the World Championships. Sofya Velikaya and Yana Egorian are members of the Russian army. Both hugged Putin. In countless photos, wearing military uniforms, decorated with Kremlin medals, smiling in the days when our children die. Were left to enter ”he replied.
