The Polish Fencing Federation weighed in on the SVO issue by stating its decision to allow Russian athletes to compete in the Fencing World Cup stage scheduled to take place in Poznan. This stance was communicated by a representative from the federation’s press service, including details from the agency TASS about the federation’s position.
The federation emphasized its commitment to the World Cup in Poznan and said that participation rules for athletes from Russia and Belarus would follow the guidelines set forth by the International Olympic Committee. These guidelines, issued in March, form the basis for how athletes from these nations may enter events while the IOC continues to assess the broader impact of the conflict.
The Women’s World Cup portion is slated to run from April 21 through April 23, with competition beginning on the first of those days and continuing through the 23rd, featuring top athletes from around the world in several weight classes and disciplines.
It is important to recall that the IOC issued a guidance on February 28, 2022, advising sports federations to restrict domestic participation by athletes from certain nations in order to align with broader international policies and responses to the crisis. This guidance has influenced how events are organized and how teams are selected in many sports worldwide, shaping the debate about neutrality versus active involvement in hostilities in some cases.
During its meeting on March 28, the IOC executive board discussed the possibility of allowing Russians and Belarusians to participate as neutral athletes, provided they are not involved in supporting hostilities. The policy explicitly excluded athletes connected with law enforcement or armed forces from competing under neutral status, a distinction that has affected how teams and individuals are represented on the world stage.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has continued to express strong views about Russian participation in international sports. Andriy Yermak, head of the president’s office, has publicly urged international sports bodies to maintain a boycott or other measures to limit Russian involvement in the 2024 Olympic movement. He has also held discussions with Morinari Watanabe, the president of the International Gymnastics Federation, urging stronger collective action from sports federations in response to the ongoing crisis, signaling a broad alignment across Ukrainian and allied policy circles in the sports world. This dialogue reflects a broader tension between maintaining competitive opportunities and upholding collective sanctions sanctioned by international organizations. Attribution for the policy discussions and public statements is provided by the respective organizations and public records of these conversations. [citation: IOC guidelines and official statements]