Reuters
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Germany’s fencing federation has canceled a ladies’s foil World Cup occasion after the game’s world governing physique (FIE) reversed a ban on athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus, it stated on Thursday.
Athletes from the 2 international locations have been banned from many worldwide competitions after Russia invaded Ukraine final February in what Moscow calls a “particular navy operation.”
Greater than 60% of countries voted to permit Russians and Belarusians to renew competing in FIE occasions ultimately week’s extraordinary congress.
German federation (DFB) President Claudia Bokel, a group epee silver medallist on the 2004 Olympics, stated the choice had triggered “heated discussions.”
“Our solidarity goes to the folks of Ukraine who’re affected by the struggle of aggression,” Bokel stated. “The German Fencing Federation accepts final Friday’s choice.
“We now wish to give a transparent sign that we’d have appreciated a unique consequence and that we nonetheless see numerous open implementation questions from the world federation, which make it not possible to hold out the match.”
The competitors was scheduled for Could 5-7 in Tauberbischofsheim. Fencing’s qualifying course of for subsequent 12 months’s Paris Olympics is because of start in April.
Russian Fencing Federation President Ilgar Mammadov stated he was not stunned by the DFB’s choice.
“This isn’t the primary nation, others will refuse,” Mammadov, a double Olympic gold medallist in group foil, was quoted as saying by Russian information company TASS. “I cannot criticize my colleagues.
“In fact, we anticipated such choices. These international locations that can’t maintain competitions on equal phrases won’t maintain them. There shall be others, they’re in massive numbers.”
