Bida epee fencers who escaped from Russia expressed their readiness to compete for the United States
Fencers Sergei and Violetta Bida, who escaped from Russia, wanted to compete for the United States. USA Today reports this.
The athletes intend to obtain American citizenship and qualify for the 2024 Games in Paris. They secured the support of the Olympic Committee and the US Fencing Federation. “When I stepped on American soil, I felt freedom,” Bida said.
On December 26, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs put the Bida fencers on the wanted list. They face up to ten years in prison under Article 337 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Unauthorized abandonment of a unit or place of service”). At the time of his departure, Sergei Bida was listed in Dynamo Moscow and had the rank of ensign of the Russian Guard. His wife was previously a serviceman of the Ministry of Defense in the capital’s CSKA.
Sergei Bida is a silver medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the team epee fencing tournament. He also became the European champion three times in the team. Violetta Bida has silver medals at the World Championships and the European Championships in the team epee tournament.
Source: Lenta
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