suspension after refusing to shake Ruska Smirnova’s hand is lifted: the Ukrainian champion will be able to participate in the world team tournament. The FIE executive changes the rules and submits to the IOC’s call.
Olga Charlanová became the first athlete representing Ukraine to compete against Russia / Belarus since the February invasion. In the first round of the World Fencing Championships 2023 in Milan, the Ukrainian multiple champion won over Anna Smirnova. But the refusal to shake hands at the end of the match first caused a protest by Russia, who “sulked” for 45 minutes, sitting on a chair, followed by the expulsion of Charlanova. The scandalous decision provoked a harsh reaction from the Ukrainian government: “The decision of the International Fencing Federation to discredit a legendary Ukrainian fencer for refusing to shake hands with a Russian sportswoman is a manifestation of a total lack of empathy, misunderstanding of the emotional context and is absolutely shameful,” said presidential adviser Mychailo Podoljak.
Before the Ukrainian fencer refused to shake Smirnova’s hand after her defeat (which she announced before the match), Olha only offered her a cord, which the Russian did not even touch, which is also a commonly used form of greeting. At that point, the Ukrainian left, while the Russian began to protest and sit in a chair, which she did not leave until 45 minutes after speaking with her coach and the international delegate.
“Even before she was rehabilitated, Charlanova became a heroine of Ukraine and a symbol of her struggle.”
However, the scandalous attitude did not help her to return to the competition: Bulgarian Ilieva, Charlan’s designated opponent before her disqualification, advanced to the round of 16.
There are already precedents from tennis, but only on an individual level. Ukrainian and Russian women have already faced each other at the WTA tennis tournaments, but the athletes from Kyiv participated here on an individual level, while Ukraine is presenting itself as a nation at the World Fencing Championships. Ukraine’s Ministry of Sports has decided that it will no longer prevent its athletes from facing Russia or Belarus, who will compete as neutrals; this is the model that would allow athletes from the two warring countries to co-exist even at the Paris Olympics. The new line would ban Ukrainians from facing athletes who “represent the Russian Federation and Belarus.”
After learning about the disqualification, the Ukrainian sighed: “I think you saw everything, I just didn’t want to shake her hand. I knew there was another option. I suggested a blade salute, she didn’t accept it and the referee told me I could leave and then I warmed up for the next match, after checking the weapon they said they wanted to talk to me and told me I was black carded but I don’t think so that the referee decided. The referee didn’t want to give me a black card. It’s very cruel to him too, it’s very cruel to everyone. It’s killing the system, this federation, it’s killing everyone, even the referees.”
During a detailed analysis of the case, suspicions even arise that the first mistake in fencing ethics was made, on the contrary, by the Russian fencer, as she did not accept the offered weapon salute (it has spread considerably, especially in the time of covid and is currently accepted as a full-fledged one). Even before she was rehabilitated, Charlanova became a heroine of Ukraine and a symbol of her struggle. Its Russian rival openly supports the Russian invasion.
anonymous street art/meme
Processed from Ukrainian sources.
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