The International Fencing Federation (FIE) has decided to cancel the elimination of athletes from Russia and Belarus from competitions under the auspices of the organization.
The corresponding decision was made online at the FIE Congress, according to the portal Inside the Games. Already in July, Russians and Belarusians will be able to compete at the World Championships in Milan, Italy.
The decision to lift sanctions against the aggressors was supported by 89 members of the FIE Congress, 46 opposed. In addition, the officials of the federations of Russia and Belarus were also restored. Representatives of our country tried to block the vote, but they were not supported.
It should be noted that after the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, the post of FIE president was forced to leave the Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov.
The decision should come into force at the end of April. Thus, athletes from Russia and Belarus will be able to take part in the World Championships in Milan, as well as in the selection for the 2024 Olympics, which will begin in the fall.
At the end of January 2023, the International Olympic Committee called on sports federations to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in a neutral status. One of the conditions for admission for athletes was the lack of public support for the war in Ukraine.
The FIE became the first federation to admit Russians and Belarusians in accordance with the new IOC recommendations.
Whether Russians and Belarusians will be able to take part in the 2024 Olympics is not yet clear; The IOC has not yet made a final decision on this issue. In February, a group of 35 countries, including the US, Japan, France and the UK, vowed to “take action” to keep athletes from Russia and Belarus out of the Olympics.
Russian athletes are one of the leaders in world fencing. At the 2020 Olympics, they won eight medals, including three golds in 12 disciplines.
Source: Racurs
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