Scandal of the day: Russia and Belarus returned to international fencing competitions

The International Fencing Federation (FIE) has decided to lift the suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes from competitions under the organisation's auspices. Starting in mid-April, representatives of the aggressor countries will be able to return to the track and compete for medals despite the war in Ukraine.

The decision was made online at the FIE Congress, Inside the Games portal reports. In July, Russians and Belarusians will be able to compete at the World Championships in Milan, Italy. It is not yet known whether the national teams of the two countries will be represented at the competition with national symbols or under a neutral flag. This will depend on the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The decision to lift the sanctions against the aggressors was supported by 89 members of the FIE Congress, while 46 opposed it. In addition, officials of the federations of Russia and Belarus were also reinstated. Representatives of our country tried to block the vote but were not supported.

It should be noted that after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov was forced to resign as president of the FIE. And the president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), Stanislav Pozdnyakov, was removed from his post as head of the European Fencing Confederation.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, former Russian sabre fencer Konstantin Lokhanov admitted that he was shocked by his country's military invasion of Ukraine.

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