© Copyright – 2023 – Athletics Illustrated

Fencing

The women’s foil International Fencing Federation (FIE) World Cup to take place in Tauberbischofsheim, Germany in March has been cancelled due to the decision to allow Russia and Belarus to compete.

Even though Russian and Belarussion athletes were permitted to compete in the event, Germany has imposes severe restrictions on issuing visas to Russians.

In an Extraordinary Congress, FIE had voted in favour of Russian participation.

Claudia Bokel the president of the German Fencing Federation (DFB) and former chair of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission, said this had “triggered heated discussions both internally and externally.”

The DFB decided that the World Cup could not take place in May as scheduled due to the general diasagreement of having Russia and Belarussion athletes in attendance and competing.

Athletics

Russia and Belarus will remain banned from athletics events and activities due to the illegal war in Ukraine. European Athletics reaffirmed that position Thursday.

The European Athletics Council, meeting in Lausanne, in preparation for the 2023 Congress next month, made it clear that the unanimous vote on March 1 2022 stays. The council voted in favour of sanctions against its Russian and Belarusian federations following the invasion.

European Athletics continues to be in opposition to them participating.

“All athletes, support personnel and other officials from Russia and from Belarus will be excluded from participating at any European Athletics’ events for the foreseeable future with immediate effect.”

European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov commented, “With the war in Ukraine having now continued for more than a year, the European Athletics Council wanted to show that we have not wavered in our position concerning the continued ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, support personnel and other officials, not just from the competitions but all events and activities.

“The war has been devastating for Ukraine and, as a sporting organisation, European Athletics notes that this includes Ukraine’s sports infrastructure and its athletes.

“We will continue to support the Athletics Federation of Ukraine so that athletes from that country can still attain their potential despite the tragic situation in Ukraine.”

Other sports

As reported before in Athletics Illustrated, Formula One said it would drop its Russian Grand Prix. The event was scheduled to take place in September in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. The 2022 event was indeed cancelled in the wake of the Russian invasion. The contract for all future races was terminated.

Poland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic refused to play World Cup qualifiers in Russia, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) said national teams competing in UEFA competitions would be played at neutral venues.

President Sebastian Coe and World Athletics released a statement in February 2022 denouncing the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

“World Athletics is appalled by developments in Ukraine and condemns the Russian military invasion,” World Athletics wrote in a statement.

Coe offered World Athletics senior vice-president Sergey Bubka, who is Ukrainian, and the Ukrainian Athletics Federation “whatever practical support we can give.”

The Russian Athletics Federation has been suspended since 2015 for systematic doping, corruption, data manipulation, and various other charges.

According to the publication, Inside the Games, the President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and Minister of Youth and Sports in Ukraine Vadym Guttsait wrote, “I call on you once again to support Ukraine’s position on the non-participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, including the Olympic Games Paris 2024, in any status, as soon as this military aggression continues.”

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR