The Fencing Federation of Ukraine (FFFU) has announced a boycott of international competitions involving athletes from Russia and Belarus in the context of disputes over the presence of the two countries at the 2024 Olympic Games, Reuters reports.

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Unlike tennis, in fencing you are disqualified if you do not shake hands with your opponent

Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from most international sporting events since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Recently, the extraordinary Congress of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) on March 10 voted to reinstate athletes from the two countries, just before the opening of the Olympic qualification window.

However, the NFFU has announced that it will boycott all competitions in which athletes from Russia and Belarus participate, a decision welcomed by Ukrainian fencers.

“The majority of Russian and Belarusian fencers participating in these competitions are military personnel. They are conscripted, under contract, and conscripted into the Russian army.

How can you expect a Ukrainian to appear at a competition, get on the board, compete with a Russian soldier and shake his hand after the match? This is an impossible scenario.

Unlike tennis, where there are no consequences, in fencing, if you don’t shake hands with your opponent, you will get a black card and you will be disqualified” – Mykhailo Ilyashev, president of NFFUquoted by Agerpres.

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The IOC recommends reintegrating Russian and Belarusian athletes into the competition

The International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday it was recommending the reinstatement of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competition under a neutral flag and as individuals, unless they supported the war in Ukraine and were not closely associated with the Russian military or services.

The IOC leaves everything to the international federations and competition organizers.

The IOC supports and recommends the reintegration of Russian and Belarusian athletes into competition, provided that they did not support the war in Ukraine. Also, athletes must not be under contract with the Russian military or special services.

The International Olympic Committee held several rounds of consultations with the entire Olympic movement for 4 months and concluded that international federations and competition organizers should decide whether or not to admit Russian and Belarusian athletes.

“The executive committee of the organization will at the appropriate time make a decision regarding their possible participation in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024, which Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic countries have threatened to boycott if Russia is present.

We will not be able to find a solution that will satisfy everyone. We will have to live with it” – Thomas Bachpresident of the IOC.

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