Milan, July 27 (AFP/APP): Fencer Olha Kharlan became the first athlete representing Ukraine to compete against a Russian or Belarusian since Russia’s invasion last year when she beat Anna Smirnova on Thursday at the world championships.
The Ukrainian sports ministry late Wednesday changed its previous policy from barring athletes from facing Russians or Belarusians competing as neutrals.
The new policy says Ukrainians are barred from facing those athletes who “represent the Russian Federation and Belarus”.
Smirnova was competing as a neutral.
The change of tack by the Ukrainian sports ministry dramatically reduces the chances of a boycott of the Paris Olympics next year.
The statement read they would not send national teams “to participate in international sports competitions, in which athletes representing the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus participate under their national flags, and/or use their own national symbols, and/or express their affiliation with the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus by their public actions or statements.”
This relaxation of the policy permits Ukrainian athletes to get on and earn invaluable qualifying points for the Games.
This opportunity was denied to Igor Reizlin, who withdrew from his fencing bout against a Russian on Wednesday, and Kharlan only got the green light to fence at 0600GMT Thursday a member of the Ukrainian delegation told AFP.
Four-time world sabre champion Kharlan outclassed Smirnova and fulfilling the promise she made to AFP in an interview a fortnight ago refused to either acknowledge her Russian opponent or shake her hand at the end of the contest.
The 32-year-old — who hopes to add the elusive Olympic individual gold next year to complete the full set of titles — was cheered on by around 20 members of the Ukrainian delegation chanting ‘Slava Ukraini’ (‘Glory to Ukraine’).
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