The President of the Russian Fencing Federation, Ilgar Mammadov, expressed his concerns about the safety of Russian athletes after returning to international tournaments.
“You yourself understand that there are countries whose embassies have never accepted our documents. Even if you somehow fly there, there are those that are not allowed at all.
There is a security issue. You understand that this is a serious matter. Joining Asia, Africa, Latin America is one thing. And if it is somewhere in Europe, then there is a danger of provocation. You need to send about 15-20 bodyguards to the women’s tournament with the girls,” says Mammadov. “Sport Express”.
The decision should come into effect from the second half of April 2023 for the World Fencing Championships to be held in Milan in July. Russian and Belarusian fencers must compete on a neutral status. 89 people voted for the acceptance of Russians and Belarusians, 46 – against.
On January 25, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it is considering the possibility of allowing Russian athletes who do not support the conduct of a special operation on Ukrainian territory to participate in international competitions in a neutral status.
formerly IOC He talked about the decision of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) to allow Russian fencers to participate in tournaments..