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The impossible reintegration of Russian and Belarusian fencers in Europe

Fencing training session (foil) at INSEP, in the twelfth arrondissement of Paris. © Nicolas Feldmann / RFI

Text by: Nicolas Feldmann Follow

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Since March 10, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) has allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to world competitions. But in Europe, their reintegration seems impossible in view of the reluctance of Ukraine and other federations.

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With the Russian editorial staff of RFI,

In the INSEP weapons room, fencers wear the yellow and blue of the national colours on their masks. Until May 4, the women's foil team of Ukraine is invited by the French Fencing Federation to the center of the elite of the sport in Paris.

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We are asking other countries to welcome us, explains coach Olga Leleiko who came especially from Ukraine for this camp in which her foil athletes will be able to compete against their French counterparts. In Kiev, we can still train, but the conditions are difficult," she said in Russian, referring to anti-aircraft sirens and power cuts. "Since the beginning of the war, half of the girls have gone abroad," she said.

"Staying competitive in Ukraine had become too complicated"

If the national number one and bronze medalist in February at the Turin Grand Prix, Alina Poloziuk, present in Paris is still training in Ukraine, Dariia Myroniuk - 21-year-old foil player - has chosen the United States. "I applied for several scholarships abroad at the beginning of the war, I was finally accepted to Ohio State University (Columbus) where I can study and train. Staying competitive in Ukraine had become too complicated."

Despite the difficulties, Ukraine remains determined to send its foil team to the Olympic Games in less than a year and a half. A conceivable scenario given their seventh place in the European ranking - only the top four teams on the continent get a direct ticket to the Games - but on the road to Paris 2024, the Ukrainians could cross the Russians or Belarusians in the qualifying events.

Alina Poloziuk, national number one and bronze medallist at the Turin Grand Prix. © Nicolas Feldmann / RFI

"Impossible to confront them"

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Our people are dying for their freedom, the soldiers, the civilians. From a moral point of view, it is impossible for me to confront them, impossible to shake their hands," said Olha Sopit, 20. One of the hopefuls of the Ukrainian foil is training and living in France for six months in the club of Bourg-la-Reine (Hauts-de-Seine) with his sister, also a fencer.

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Before the war, she continues, I had friends among Russian and Belarusian sportswomen, but when it all started, we exchanged, I asked them: what are you coming to do in Ukraine, on our territory? They replied "it's politics", it seemed normal to them. So we stopped talking to them, they don't support us," she said, adding that her government now prohibits her from participating in any competition in which Russian or Belarusian fencers are engaged.

In their struggle, the Ukrainians can count on the support of the European federations. The first major events of the fencing season in Poland, Germany or France have either been cancelled or postponed. After several weeks of uncertainty, the Ukrainian foil athletes will participate this Friday, May 5 in the World Cup in Plovdiv (Bulgaria) after the Russians and Belarusians have given up registering.

Reintegration criteria "excessive and discriminatory" according to Russia

Contacted from Paris by RFI, the Russian Fencing Federation refuses to "comment". The Russian Olympic Committee, also solicited from Paris, also did not respond to our requests for an interview. In a statement published on 30 April, however, the body considers the criteria for reinstating athletes "excessive and discriminatory". To participate in international competitions, their athletes must agree to compete individually, under a neutral banner and not be linked to bodies belonging to the army or other security forces.

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We do have athletes who have contracts with army clubs and who pay their salaries, concedes the president of the Belarusian Fencing Federation Vitaly Sokolovski. But I want to make it clear, these people have never held a gun," he said. "We only do sports," he continues, "mixing fencing with politics or with the military is not only contrary to the Olympic Charter, but also contrary to common sense."

In the absence of being able to compete in Europe, Belarusian fencers have been competing in Russia since the beginning of the war. "We are doing everything we can to ensure that this international isolation does not affect our athletes," says Vitali Sokolovski, who is still determined to send his fencers to the Olympic Games. "Will we be given this opportunity? That is the main question.

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