Ukrainian fencer Olha Kharlan was awarded a place in the 2024 Paris Olympics by the IOC on Friday after she was disqualified at the world championships for refusing to shake the hand of her Russian opponent.

The International Fencing Federation (FIE) also said it was reinstating Kharlan, allowing her to take part in the team competition at the world championships in Milan.

Emmanuel Katsiadakis, the Greek president of the FIE, said the decision had been taken “after consultation with the International Olympic Committee”.

Kharlan, the first fencer to face a Russian or Belarusian since the former’s invasion of Ukraine, won 15-7 against Russia’s Anna Smirnova on Thursday.

The 32-year-old four-time Olympic medallist refused Smirnova’s handshake afterwards, instead offering her sabre to tap blades, but FIE rules state that the two fencers must shake hands.

Smirnova staged a 45-minute protest and refused to leave the competition strip.

Kharlan was disqualified, claiming afterwards that Emmanuel Katsiadakis, the Greek president of the FIE, had even assured her that it was “possible” not to shake hands and offer a touch of her blade instead following her victory.

“I thought I had his word, to be safe, but apparently, no,” Kharlan said.

In response to her disqualification, the International Olympic Committee called for Ukrainian athletes to be treated “sensitively”.

Then on Friday, IOC President Thomas Bach, a former Olympic fencer himself, sent Kharlan a letter saying she would be guaranteed a place at next year’s Olympics in Paris regardless of whether she gained the qualification points.

    • DauntingFlamingo
      12·
      1 year ago

      Ahhh yes! The Wagner “coup” preceded by a military buildup on the Russian side! Didn’t something similar happen in Russia recently? If memory serves, the leader of both coups is still alive and still a person that even Putin can’t just kill off. What was his name? Yevgeny Prigozhin, you say? Tell us more about the coup!

      And now Ukraine is hitting downtown Moscow with drones. That coup?

      Edit: You see, the trolls don’t know how to respond when they’re not allowed to talk about a subject that could hurt the viewpoint of Russian/Chinese propaganda. Next up: labor death camps! How’s that diplomat from China that went missing? Is Navalny in good health?

        • DauntingFlamingo
          11·
          1 year ago

          So what you’re saying is like: China annexes all of Russia, bombs the hell out of it, and then says “why won’t they just agree to stop fighting? We’re doing this for you! We raped your citizens and deported your children because your leaders are (ironically) Jewish Nazis!”

          Why should any sovereign nation give up land to invaders, especially when they’re in the middle of an offensive campaign? The US News is reporting Ukraine is about to start an offensive in Crimea, so why on earth would they stop to negotiate with a bully who is currently getting their asses charred?

          When you’re winning at LoL or Fortnite, do you suddenly go to your opponent and say “Hey man! We should stop fighting, and share this victory! I don’t like that I’m currently winning! Here’s half my inventory and points. Enjoy!”

          Your username kinda gives you away. You should consider using one of your alts

            • DauntingFlamingo
              11·
              1 year ago

              What is Russia’s perspective? They invaded, and now they’re upset they could lose the land they stole in 2014. They wanted a warm water port. They got it. But then they wanted all of the farm land in Ukraine, so they invaded again. Now they have no hope of gaining the farmland, and they may never get full use of the warm water port in Crimea. There is zero chance the Ukrainian people stop harassing Crimea.

              NATO expanded as a result of the 2014 invasion (2017, 2020, 2023), so that member nations can maintain their ancestral lands and have no fear of being invaded by… You guessed it: Russia

                • DauntingFlamingo
                  11·
                  1 year ago

                  They had nuclear weapons. Under a treaty with Russia to respect their borders, Ukraine gave them up. Russia broke that treaty. Now Russia is mad they could very well lose their 2014 gains and wants to negotiate peace, but Ukraine says absolutely not while we’re still making progress on the offensive campaign, and Ukraine is about to launch an offensive on Crimea. Why would they give up ground they’ve gained and ground they could wrestle back?