After the sensational disqualification of the Ukrainian Olha Charlan at the Fencing World Championships in Milan, the German Fencing Federation (DFB) reacted with clear words and also criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC). “We would have expected more sensitivity in decisions of such magnitude as a disqualification. Olha Charlan had clearly signaled her willingness to salute with the saber,” the DFB said in a written statement on Friday.
The DFB described the fact that Charlan, despite the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, fought against the Russian Anna Smirnova and the Ukrainian association allowed her to do so “as a great human sporting gesture”, which was “severely damaged” by the decision of the World Federation FIE “. And further: “The very strict interpretation of the rules sent a fatal signal far beyond the world of fencing. In times like these, the literal interpretation and application of rules should not be a benchmark and we expect a change here for future competitions.” Charlan had refused her opponent the mandatory handshake after the fight and was disqualified for it.
Criticism and IOC
“We consider the ongoing protest by the Ukrainian association against the decision to be the right sign,” said the DFB, and also criticized the IOC: The re-admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus had already been critically assessed in the past and before any problems warned. “The current IOC recommendations and their implementation still have clear gaps and are of no real help for the associations.”
Meanwhile, Charlan himself publicly accused World Association President Emmanuel Katsiadakis of breaking his word. The Olympic champion from Ukraine said the Greek assured her it was “possible” to forgo the handshake after their clash with Smirnova. “I thought I had his word and I’m sure,” Charlan said, “but obviously: no.”
Charlan, a star in her homeland, which was suffering from the Russian war of aggression, was withdrawn from the competition by the world association FIE after her victory over Smirnova. Despite the reduced chances of a starting place for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024, she would act like this again and again, she said: “My message is: We athletes from Ukraine are ready to face the Russians on the sports fields, but we will never be theirs shake hands.”
“Don’t shake hands with our killers”
At the World Championships, fencers from Russia and Belarus are allowed to start as neutral athletes in the individual competitions. In response to the war, the Ukrainian government initially forbade its athletes to compete against Russians or Belarusians.
On Wednesday, however, this requirement was changed, now only fights against athletes “representing the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus” are prohibited. Charlan had campaigned for this with Minister of Sport Wadym Hutzajt, himself a former fencer.
Hutzajt found words of admiration for Charlan’s attitude. “The most important thing is that she showed the Ukrainian position that we cannot shake hands with our enemies, with our killers,” he said. “She is great, I honor and respect her so much and love her like my own child .”
World Federation President Katsiadakis succeeded the Russian Alisher Usmanow at the head of the FIE, who had to resign after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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The billionaire had led the federation without interruption since 2009 and kept international fencing under control with his money. The FIE was one of the first federations to follow the IOC’s “recommendation” to reinstate Russians and Belarusians banned after the outbreak of war as “neutral athletes”.