This week was supposed to mark the return of the first athletes from Russia and Belarus to be reinstated since the IOC updated its recommendations to international sports federations, providing a conditional path to partially lift bans in place since the invasion of Ukraine.
The International Fencing Federation (FIE) was the first Olympic sport body to act, actually doing so before the IOC’s update in March but not putting it into effect until the second half of April. (Other sports, including cycling, tennis and in the NHL, have been allowing Russians and Belarusians to compete since before the IOC update.)
Yet no Russians or Belarusians are entered in a sabre Grand Prix in Seoul that starts Thursday, not even as neutral athletes.
It is the sport’s first top-level competition in a month (after other national federations canceled events due to the reinstatement) and first top-level event during a year-long Olympic qualifying window that began April 3.
On Wednesday, Russian Fencing Federation president Ilgar Mamedov said that Russian fencers will not compete in Seoul because of “some bureaucratic snafus and foot-dragging” by the FIE, according to Russian news agency TASS.
“We did everything in due time, as they had instructed us previously,” Mamedov said, according to the report. “We repeatedly warned them, however, that it would be impossible for us to participate if they continued to drag the process out.
“We were assured, however, that everything was all right, that we should not worry and that we would be eligible by the deadline. However, we are now seeing the exact opposite result.”
The FIE has not responded to requests for comment over the last two months on its stance on Russian and Belarusian fencers.
Mamedov also said that the Russian Fencing Federation requested to strip the Seoul event of “qualifying points” — presumably Olympic qualifying points — since Russians are not taking part.
At the last two Olympics, women from Russia won gold and silver in individual sabre, plus gold in team sabre.
Fencers from Ukraine have been on the Seoul entry list for at least the last week. In late March, the Ukraine government said that its athletes should not take part in any Olympic qualifying competitions that allow Russians and Belarusians.
On Tuesday, the Ukraine Fencing Federation said it appealed to a court in Switzerland, where the FIE is based, to stop the FIE from readmitting Russians and Belarusians.
There are also no Russians yet on the entry lists for Grand Prix or World Cup events in the other weapons — épée and foil — next week in Colombia, Bulgaria and Mexico.
Russian fencers topped the Tokyo Olympic standings with eight medals and three golds, competing under the Russian Olympic Committee name rather than Russia due to the nation’s doping violations.
Belarus, which has zero Olympic fencing medals, had no fencers at the Tokyo Games and one fencer at the Rio Games.
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