Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan had just beaten her opponent, Russian Anna Smirnova, when she was disqualified from the World Fencing Championships in Milan on Thursday July 27. Announced on the official board, this disqualification was decided because of Kharlan’s refusal to shake hands with his opponent after his victory. The Ukrainian saber was the first representative from her country to face a Russian since the invasion of Ukraine nearly a year and a half ago.
“The two fencers […] must shake hands with the opponent as soon as the decision is given”, specifies the rules of the International Fencing Federation (FIE), chaired until the outbreak of the conflict by the oligarch Russian Alisher Usmanov, in withdrawal since.
For her entry into the tournament, the four-time Ukrainian world champion had made short work of Anna Smirnova (15-7), participating in the competition as an individual and under a neutral banner, in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee Olympic International (IOC).
On the track, Kharlan contented herself with a ceremonial salute to the referee, avoiding making one to her opponent. And rather than shaking his hand, she presented her saber so that the blades clash, a gesture that was common in the weapons rooms at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Faced with this refusal with a handshake, Anna Smirnova protested unsuccessfully and refused to leave the track for almost an hour after the end of the match. The referee having already awarded the victory to Kharlan, the Russian was not drafted.
The Ukrainian fencing federation announced that it had “protested” against the disqualification of the saber. “We submitted our protest to the office of the International Fencing Federation. We expect this protest to be taken into account immediately, so that this disqualification is canceled,” Ukrainian Federation President Mykhailo Illyachev told reporters. For its part, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) called in a press release to show “sensitivity” towards Ukrainian athletes.
This allows them to compete against athletes under a neutral banner, which is in line with the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) implemented by several international federations, including fencing, to reintegrate Russians and Belarusians into world sport. Except on the ATP and WTA tennis tours where the players are not part of an official delegation, there has been no opposition between athletes from the two countries since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“The decision of the International Fencing Federation is the manifestation of a total lack of empathy” and is “absolutely scandalous”, denounced on Instagram Mikhaïlo Podoliak, before thanking Olga Kharlan for having “worthily represented” the Ukraine in the competition.