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.<\/p>\n
The Ukrainian sports ministry late Wednesday changed its previous policy from barring athletes from facing Russians or Belarusians competing as neutrals.<\/p>\n
The new policy says Ukrainians are barred from facing those athletes who “represent the Russian Federation and Belarus”.
\nSmirnova was competing as a neutral.<\/p>\n
The change of tack by the Ukrainian sports ministry dramatically reduces the chances of a boycott of the Paris Olympics next year.<\/p>\n
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.”<\/p>\n
This relaxation of the policy permits Ukrainian athletes to get on and earn invaluable qualifying points for the Games.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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’).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 […]<\/p>\n
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