(Reuters) – Ukraine athletes’ boycott over the presence of Russians and Belarusians at the fencing World Championships could cost the country valuable points and jeopardise its qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games, Ukrainian sabre fencer Olga Kharlan said.
Ukraine will not take part in the individual events at the World Championships starting on July 22 in Milan, just as they did at last month’s European Championships, after the International Fencing Federation (FIE) allowed Russia and Belarus fencers to compete as neutrals.
Four-time Olympic medallist Kharlan, a member of the Ukraine Fencing Federation Athletes’ Commission, said Russia and Belarus featuring in these tournaments will prevent Ukraine from qualifying for individual events at next year’s Games in Paris.
“Given all the bans, I can’t qualify for the Olympics in the individual competition. I need to earn points to get to the Games. I need to participate in all competitions,” Kharlan told Ukrainian news site Tribuna in an interview released on the weekend.
“I missed the European Championships, they were very important competitions because they have double points.
“We hoped until the last moment that the Russians would not fence, but it didn’t happen. They appeared in those categories of fencing where Ukrainians had a chance to get to the Olympics.”
Ukrainian fencers will continue to support the boycott despite the stakes, Kharlan added, although most of them find it frustrating as it is not certain they would encounter Russian and Belarusian athletes in these events.
“Of course we have those who are in favour of the boycott in its entirety, but the majority of us want to fence,” said the recently crowned European Games champion.
“There’s a very good chance that you won’t just fence with them. And it kills us. No one even says we’re going to shake hands. We don’t fraternise with them. Why should we just stand aside and do nothing about it?
“There is no clarity, we are simply turning a blind eye to something, and it’s very depressing when you know you can win because you’re in great shape.”
Russia’s TASS news agency reported so far seven Russian fencers and one Belarusian athlete are confirmed to compete at the 22-30 July World Fencing Championships.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Sonali Paul)
