Dmitry Svishchev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, said that he wants to know the attitude of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the fact that fencer Sergei Bida, who left Russia, plans to obtain US citizenship. He will represent the American team at the 2024 Summer Olympics. His words are quotes “Lenta.Ru”.
“Here it is necessary to get a statement from the International Olympic Committee: Will athletes representing law enforcement forces be allowed in or not? Or will there be any exceptions? There are so many questions. It’s not the fact that they’ll be playing for the American team that worries me; this is already fait accompli, he has already left Russia,” Svishchev said.
USA Today reported that in addition to Sergei Bida, there is also a former saber fencer of the Russian national team. Konstantin Lokhanov He plans to compete for the USA team at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. At the same time, Violetta Bida also participated in the Games I cannot accept due to pregnancy.
On December 26, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs put the spouses on the wanted list. They face up to ten years in prison. Epee fencers, consisting of active officers of the Russian Guard and active military personnel, participated in the US Championship without the permission of the Russian side.
Sergei Bida is an epee fencer, silver medalist in the team tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, three-time European champion (also in team competitions) and two-time medalist at the World Championships (silver in individual competitions and bronze in 2020). team epee).
Violetta Bida (née Khrapina) won a silver medal in team epee at the 2019 World Championships and also participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but did not win any medals there.
Previously in the USA supported Russian Bida’s intention to compete for the country’s national team in the Olympics.