Oleg Taktarov, the first Russian to hold the UFC championship belt, weighed in on the United States boxing federation’s choice to skip the women’s and men’s world championships amid the debate over Russian athletes. He argued this stance appears not to reflect the views of American boxers themselves, but rather to be a top‑down directive that athletes may not fully understand, as reported by sports24.
The US Boxing Federation cited the International Boxing Association’s policy, led by Umar Kremlev of Russia, as the reason for the boycott. The decision centers on allowing Russian and Belarusian competitors to compete under their own national flags, a move that has sparked controversy across the sport.
The women’s World Championship is scheduled for New Delhi from March 15 to 31, while the men’s tournament is set to take place in Tashkent from May 1 to 14.
Earlier, in late February 2022, the International Olympic Committee urged international federations to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from participation in their events, a directive that has influenced many sports bodies and athletes around the world.
Valery Ovchinnikov, a former coach, noted that the leadership of several Russian football clubs hesitated to work with Alexander Kerzhakov. As a result, Ovchinnikov moved on, signing a contract with Karmiotissa in Cyprus to continue his coaching career.