UWW leadership asked Russians and Ukrainians to refuse handshakes at the World Cup
The leadership of the United World of Wrestling (UWW) addressed the Russians and Ukrainians competing at the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade. Match TV reports this.
Athletes were asked to refrain from shaking hands to avoid incidents if one of the opponents refuses. “Also, Russian judges cannot be appointed to fights of Ukrainian wrestlers, and Ukrainian judges cannot be appointed to fights with the participation of Russians,” said a UWW representative.
The World Championships, which are a qualifying tournament for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, will end on September 24. Russians compete in neutral status.
On July 27, Russian fencer Anna Smirnova and Ukrainian Olga Kharlan met in the 1/32 finals of the World Championship. The winning Ukrainian refused to shake hands with her opponent, but the Russian woman decided to wait for the gesture, without which, according to the regulations, the fight could not be considered completed. As a result, Smirnova left the site without waiting for the return of Harlan, who was later disqualified.
On July 28, the International Olympic Committee granted Harlan an automatic right to compete at the 2024 Games. Later, the International Fencing Federation announced the lifting of the Ukrainian’s suspension, giving her the opportunity to take part in the team tournament. In addition, the organization abolished mandatory handshakes after fights.
Source: Lenta
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