Three Russian fencers, Sergei Bida and Violetta Bida mixed Konstantin Lohanovfled to the United States because of the war his country had started in Ukraine.
The trio who competed on the Russian Olympic team in the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo are now applying for citizenship of their new home country. They have the support of the US Olympic Committee and the Fencing Federation, reports USA Today.
– These three people have made sacrifices at great personal cost. They have risked their lives to represent our nation. We ask that you do everything you can to support them in this extraordinary situation, USA Fencing CEO Phil Andrews appealed to Congress.
The lawyer representing the swordsmen said that he has already reached out to the senators because the matter is urgent. If the senate and the house of representatives approve the motion, the president will proceed with it Joe Biden to be signed.
The US Olympic qualifiers already started last July, so things are very busy when it comes to the Olympics. CEO Andrews hinted at the possibility that an Olympic spot could still open up for the team competition.
– We are ready. When I stepped on American soil, I felt freedom, Violetta Bida rejoiced and at the same time appealed to the people processing the citizenship application.
Violetta is pregnant, so of the couple, only Sergei lives the Paris Olympic dream.
The drama reaches Russia’s high sports leadership
Sergei Bida, 30, won silver in the team competition in the light fencing at the previous Summer Olympics, in Tokyo 2021. He has a personal World Championship silver and four European Championship golds in the team competition.
Sergei’s wife Violetta, 29, has European and World Championship silver.
Lohanov, 25, is a multiple World Junior gold medalist.
Lohanov moved to the United States already in spring 2022, Bidat in June 2023.
Last summer, they got the right to compete in the USA because they met the criteria of the country’s fencing association. Among other things, they had to condemn the war of aggression started by Russia, and their homeland could not be seen in any way, for example in equipment.
The New York Times wrote a comprehensive one in the summer of the articlewhere the trio’s backgrounds and recent drama were revealed.
First of all, in Russia, the coach of the national team was made the scapegoat for the trio’s escape Alexander Glazunovwho got a shoe.
In addition, the situation has affected the Russian Olympic Committee up to the top management level. Lokhanov is the former son-in-law of the chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee, as he was married to the winner of two Olympic gold medals in Tokyo Sofia Pozdniakova with.
Chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee, four-time Olympic champion in fencing Stanislav Pozdnyakov stated that his daughter’s love for her country helped avoid a harsh fate.
So Pozdniakova did not follow her husband to the United States, even though Lohanov had initially hoped so.
Wanted in Russia
Lohanov had flown to Munich for treatment of a hip injury a day before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While recovering, Lohanov made a life-changing decision. He flew to Atlanta instead of Russia, from where he ended up in a fencing club in San Diego.
– They started the war killing people and keeping it normal, Lohanov reasoned.
When Lohanov won gold in fencing at the games held in Phoenix this summer, he posed with a Ukrainian fencer and the Ukrainian flag. Lohanov’s hand has the text “Liberty” tattooed on it.
– I decided that I can no longer live in a country that kills innocent Ukrainians, Lohanov said in an interview.
At the end of the year, a wanted notice was issued for Sergei and Violetta in Russia, reported among other things Ria Novosti.
According to the Russian media, Sergei and Violetta Bida were involved in a criminal case concerning unauthorized leaving the unit or place of service. According to the Russian Criminal Code, the unauthorized abandonment of a unit or service post during a conflict results in 5–10 years in prison.
In Russia, elite athletes are known to be very often connected to the military in one way or another.
Although the International Olympic Committee has opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to next summer’s Paris Olympics under certain conditions, it should be clear that the path of this trio in the fencing circles of their home country would be blocked.
Normally, when athletes change their country of representation, the permission of the previous country of representation is required. According to the lawyer representing the trio of fencers, Russian approval is not needed in this case, because the athletes have not represented Russia in international competitions for three years.
The couple, who gave an interview to USA Today in Northern California, asked that their exact whereabouts not be revealed because of the wanted notice.
It was noticed in the Russian media that the fencers had given an interview in a cafe in the USA representative costumes. The chairman of the Olympic Committee, Stanislav Pozdnjakov, vowed that Russia would no longer be chasing after the trio.
– Yes, we heard that they had been promised sweet biscuits. The most important thing is that they don’t choke on them. This is not a defeat for Russia, Pozdnjakov told the news agency For the cup.
In December, the sports fanatics discussed allowing the Russians to the Olympics and the boycott talks that followed the decision. Listen below or at Areena.