The document uses few words, only around ten short paragraphs, but they say a lot. It is signed Vadym Guttsait, the Ukrainian Minister of Youth and Sports and president of the national fencing federation (photo above, center, between Sergey Bubka and Thomas Bach).
At the beginning of the month, the former international fencer and referee, Olympic team saber champion at the Barcelona Games in 1992, sent a letter to the International Fencing Federation (FIE), to its interim president, the Greek Emmanuel Katsiadakis, and to all the national federations members of the body.
The letter bears the letterhead of the Ukrainian Fencing Federation. FrancsJeux was aware of it.
Nearly six months after the Russian army began its invasion of Ukraine, Vadym Guttsait speaks about the war. He talks about it without forcing the point, recounting the facts, their horror and their victims.
« Russia continues its bloody war against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, writes Vadym Guttsait. Every day, Russia bombs Ukrainian cities, not military targets, but civilian homes. Huge numbers of Ukrainian men, women and children are dying every day due to Russian attacks"
The Ukrainian minister explains it in his letter: the war has already claimed several members of the fencing community. He cites the names of Mykola Khomrovyi, the father of saber fighter Olena Khomrova, Olympic team champion at the 2008 Beijing Games, and of parasport athlete Volodymyr Motylchuk. Both men were killed in the same town, Mykolaiv, located in the south of the country.
« More than 3.000 athletes went to war to defend their country, details Vadym Guttsait. More than 100 of them are already dead. It is impossible to continue sports training under air attacks and artillery fire. Additionally, 111 sports facilities have been destroyed by the Russians so far, including one of the largest fencing centers, the “Unifekht” Club in Kharkiv. Thousands of young athletes are forced to leave their homes to escape the war. »
In his letter, the Ukrainian leader then expresses his thanks to the FIE and the national federations for their support, in particular by helping the national team and dozens of young fencers to participate in official competitions, but also by offering them a roof and a place to stay. shelter.
Then Vadym Guttsait talks about athletes. Those from the camp opposite. Russian and Belarusian athletes. “ No Russian or Belarusian athlete has spoken out against the war, he notes. Therefore, the Ukrainian Fencing Federation urges the FIE and all national federations to follow the IOC recommendations and not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in official competitions, even under the FIE flag."
Vadym Guttsait ends his letter, signed with his name and his title of president: “ The Ukrainian Fencing Federation believes that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed to participate in international tournaments only after the end of this bloody war"
Since the IOC Executive Board's recommendation to international federations to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes, fencing has chosen a radical position. The FIE executive committee decided, at its meeting on March 2, to ban Russian athletes.
His decision was challenged in court by the Russian Fencing Federation. Its president, Ilgar Mammadov, requested the participation of Russian fencers under the guise of neutrality. But his request was rejected by the FIE.
