Fencing: the Bundestag criticized the admission of athletes from the Russian Federation
The Bundestag sports committee criticized the International Fencing Federation (FIE), which decided to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus, as well as teams and officials from these countries, to participate in international competitions from mid-April, which paves the way for participating in the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Committee Vice-President Philip Krämer, in an interview with RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), published on Wednesday, March 15, expressed the opinion that the FIE had chosen “the wrong path”.
“We also declared at the level of the International Fencing Federation about the problem that Russia has been exerting influence through the oligarchs for many years and providing large amounts of money,” Kremer said.
In March 2022, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov suspended his activities as head of the International Fencing Federation due to EU sanctions imposed against him.
The International Fencing Federation heard the position of the IOC
For his part, Fritz Güntzler, a member of the sports committee, said: “I hope that the German Olympic Sports Association (DOSB) will finally take a clear position, which is also in the interests of our athletes.”
Fencing is the second Olympic sport, after judo, whose leadership has heeded the position of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which announced in January 2023 that it was exploring the possibility for athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in Paris on a regular basis. neutral, without flags and anthems.
The FIE did not release detailed information about the voting process, but according to Russian media, 89 delegates voted in favor and 46 against, “in accordance with the conditions of neutrality and individual admission”.
Source: DW
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