Hundreds of fencers criticized the World Association shortly before the World Cup start in an open letter to recognize Russian starter more easily than “neutral athletes”.
The criticism is directed against a decision by the Executive Committee of the World Association from the end of June, with which access for starter from Russia and Belarus on neutrality status “Simplified” should become. The previous procedure was too lengthy and too expensive, in which the applications of athletes were individually checked. The athletes should now only “Swear under oath”to have nothing to do with the war, not to support it and to adhere to all applicable rules.
“Fie risked to let the wrong people start”
“We would like to express our deep concern and rejection of the decision not to carry out independent, thorough reviews of Russian and Belarusian athletes who apply for the status of a neutral athlete”According to a letter published by the organization “Global Athlete”, the approximately 400 fencers signed, including several from Germany.
The procedure does not offer sufficient protection against “That the fencing railway is used in a way that could undermine the integrity and neutrality of our sport”. The fie risk risks to have the wrong people compete under neutral status.
The World Cup 2025 begins on July 22nd in Georgia’s capital of Tbilis. Several Russian fencers were approved as neutral athletes. Below with Jana Jegorjan is the saber Olympic champion in 2016. She took part in the 2019 military game for Russia. In 2023 she was still refused approval as a neutral athlete from the World Association, as did Sofia Welikaja. According to her club, the multiple world champion and Olympic champion with the team has the military rank of a captain.
Säbel fencer Jana Jegorjan 2016 after her Olympic victory with President Vladimir Putin
World Association passes IOC recommendations for the Neutrality status
The European Fencing Association, whose President Pascal Tesch from Luxembourg is located in the 20-member Fie Executive Committee, also said in an open letter that he “Unlimited the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee” Support.
Conversely, the criticism of the World Association occurs: because the IOC recommendations stipulate that individual exams of the Russian athletes should be carried out to the military with regard to their position to the war and connections to the military. The World Association no longer remarked with the decision of the end of June.
So far there has been a test group in the World Association that certified athletes the status of their neutrality. Information was collected, such as social media posts or belonging to the Russian military and security forces. These findings should be checked by a company specializing in information security and independent lawyers should be presented, who then pronounced a recommendation to the test group. The World Association is now ending this process.
The IOC recommendations also state that teams from Russia must not be taken into account. However, the world association approved Russian athletes as a team. The European Association emphasized: “We decidedly reject every attempt to avoid this position.” But the admission of teams in the fie competitions was also decided by the World Association.
Russian oligarch has the presidential office rest at the World Association
The Russian oligarch Alischer Usmanow has been President of the Fie since 2008. In 2022 he suspended his office after the European Union issued sanctions against him. Last year, Usmanow was re -elected to the presidency by a large majority, and a few days later he declared that he would leave his office. Since then, Abdel Monem El-Husseini has been the second interim president to the association. The Russian association is suspended in Europe because it has transferred Ukrainian clubs from areas occupied by the Russian military to its sports system.
The Russian billionaire Alischer Usmanow is fundamentally a fie president, but is currently resting his office.
The 400 fencers also basically see problems that the organization “Global Athlete” had already presented to the World Association in 2023 on behalf of numerous athletes. “The international community is well aware that there is no distinction between athletes and the state for Russian and Belarusian athletes”it says. “Many were encouraged by the Russian Olympic Committee to participate in the war; Many hold positions in the military or the police and receive state funds – their salary comes from Putin’s war treasury. This made a separation between the state and athlete unbelievable. This reality remains unchanged. “