High jump star Yaroslava Mahuchich (Ukraine) welcomed the exclusion of Russian athletes from the World Championships in Athletics in Eugene/USA (July 15-24) because of the attack on their homeland.

Many Russian athletes would “support Vladimir Putin.

I don't want to see any killers on the track," said Mahutschich, who, with her 2.03 m, leads the world best list for the year and is considered the top favorite for World Championship gold.

This war has "really killed a lot of athletes".

Make home happy

Mahuchikh, who fled abroad by car after the Russian invasion from Dnepropetrovsk, has always kept her thoughts in Ukraine.

She wants to make her compatriots happy with a triumph in the final on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday (2.40 a.m. CEST).

"I hope it will be good news for the Ukrainian people," said the European indoor champion, who believes Ukraine will win the war.

Her previously good relationship with the Russian Olympic champion Marija Lassizkene suffered greatly as a result of the war.

"Before February 24 we had a good relationship, we spoke to each other," Mahuchikh said, referring to the day Russia invaded Ukraine. "But that day changed everything."

No word of sympathy or support came from Lassizkene, said Mahutschich.

Instead, however, Lassizkene wrote a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach to be allowed to take part in the World Cup because she “is Russian.

Our people are dying because they are Ukrainians.”

The world association World Athletics (WA) has banned all athletes, coaches and officials from Russia and Belarus from all events under its auspices "for the foreseeable future" because of the attack on Ukraine.

The Russian Federation (RusAF) has been suspended since 2015 because of the doping scandal.

Even “neutral athletes” are not allowed to start at the World Championships.