Ukrainian Olha Harlan did not shake hands with Russian Anna Smirnova. Harlan was disqualified from the individual competition, but according to the new decision, he is allowed to participate in the team competition.
Ukrainian fencer Come on Harlan can participate in the team competition of the World Fencing Championships in Milan. The International Fencing Federation changed its decision on Friday.
Harlan was disqualified on Thursday for refusing to shake hands with his Russian opponent Anna Smirnova. Smirnova was coming to shake Harlan’s hand after the match, but Harlan put his sword in the way. During the Corona era, fencers would strike their swords together after the match, but nowadays they shake hands again normally. Harlan beat Smirnova 15–7, but due to Harlan’s disqualification, neither made it to the next round.
Now, however, Harlan is allowed to participate in the team competition. In addition, the president of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach wrote a letter to Harlan saying that Harlan would get a spot in the Paris Olympics even if he didn’t make it with his results.
– The rules must be changed. Ukrainians cannot shake hands with Russians during war, Harlan said before the latest decisions.
Ukrainian tennis players have not shaken hands with their Russian and Belarusian opponents. Harlan said that the president of the International Fencing Federation Emmanuel Katsiadakis had given him permission not to shake Smirnova’s hand.
“I thought I had his word, but apparently not,” Harlan said.
Fencer Harlan, 32, won gold in the team competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In addition, he has an Olympic silver medal in the team competition and two individual Olympic bronze medals. Harlan has celebrated the World Championship gold six times.
The match between Harlan and Smirnova was the first meeting between a Russian and a Ukrainian fencer since the start of the war. Still on Wednesday, the Ukrainian at the World Fencing Championships Ihor Reizlin gave the Russian a forfeit win To Vadim Anokhin.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Sports of Ukraine changed its previous policy. According to the new guidelines, Ukrainians cannot face athletes who “represent the Russian Federation and Belarus”. In the Fencing World Championships, Russians and Belarusians compete as “neutral athletes”.