An emergency meeting was held on Monday to make this decision. It was announced on Tuesday: the Ukrainian Fencing Federation will boycott the competitions if Russian and Belarusian athletes participate. A reaction to the choice of the International Federation (FIE) to authorize their reinstatement on March 10.
“It has been decided not only not to participate in any duel in competition with Russian and Belarusian athletes, but also, for our athletes, coaches and referees, not to participate in any competition in which Russian or Belarusian athletes will participate”, s expressed the Ukrainian instance. She also called the International Federation’s reinstatement authorization an “illegal and shameful decision” and wishes to challenge it.
A debated reintegration
Even if the FIE has authorized Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the competitions, they are not guaranteed to be able to take part in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This decision is up to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). For Ukrainian athletes, the chances of participating in the Olympics will be reduced if the boycott is effective. Qualifying tournaments start in April and end on March 31, 2024.
Russian and Belarusian athletes have been excluded from competitions since February 24, 2022, the date of the invasion of Ukraine. At the end of January, the IOC revealed a roadmap to reintegrate them into international sport. On two conditions: to compete under a neutral banner and never to have “actively supported the war in Ukraine”. Some countries are in favor of a return, such as the United States.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is totally against it. Even under a neutral banner. The Head of State spoke on this subject in February: “It cannot be covered by an alleged neutrality or a white flag. Because Russia is now a country that stains everything with blood – even the white flag. »