Sensational episode at the World Fencing Championships in Milan.
Starring Anna Smirnova, a Russian fencer who competes as an international neutral athlete, and the Ukrainian Olga Kharlan.
At the end of the match (won 15-7 by the Ukrainian, Luigi Samele's partner), the two opponents approached: Smirnova extended her hand to shake her opponent's hand, while Kharlan exposed the saber, as required by the Covid protocol still active, without therefore returning the formal greeting.
The regulation provides for disqualification in case of no greeting at the end of the match. Smirnova remained stationary on the platform for over 45', awaiting news on any developments. And in the end the FIE, the international federation, decided to exclude the Ukrainian athlete from the competition.
Despite the 15-7 victory, in fact, Kharlan appears as "excluded" in the official scoreboard, with the consequent passage of the round for the Bulgarian Yoana Ilieva.
Kharlan's exclusion from the individual saber competition should also lead to the exclusion of the entire Ukrainian team from the team competition at the Fencing World Championships, as required by the regulations.
(Unioneonline/D)
