2023-05-23 19:56:23
The European Games, organized in Poznan (Poland) from June 21 to July 2, will no longer act as individual European Championships according to the latest updated calendar of the International Fencing Federation (FIE). This is the consequence of the lifting of sanctions targeting Russian and Belarusian fencers.
New individual European championships must therefore be organized in October, according to a member of the FIE executive committee. The fencers of the two countries have not yet made their return to competition since the lifting at the end of March by the FIE of the generalized sanctions aimed at them. But a final list of those meeting the neutrality criteria, as recommended by the IOC, will be unveiled soon, “within ten days”, still according to a member of the executive committee.
Other sports affected by visa problems in Poland?
The fear surrounding the possibility for these athletes to obtain an entry visa in Poland, a key support of Ukraine, led the executive committee to remove its value of European Championships from the individual competition of the European Games. The tournament will therefore not allocate the corresponding points in the race for Olympic qualification for the Paris Olympics next year.
On the other hand, the team events in the 3 weapons (foil, epee and saber) will indeed award the European title and the points that go with it. The problem encountered by fencing could arise for other sports. Among those present at the European Games, several others such as canoeing, shooting or table tennis have lifted the sanctions targeting Russians and Belarusians. But Warsaw implemented travel restrictions last September as part of sanctions against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.
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