MOSCOW, Aug 13 Minister of Sports of Ukraine and President of the National Fencing Federation of Ukraine Vadym Gutzeit urged the International Fencing Federation (FIE) to prevent Russian athletes from participating in competitions. In February, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), against the backdrop of events in Ukraine, recommended that international federations not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete. Most federations, including the FIE, have accepted this recommendation. The Russian Fencing Federation (FFR) filed a suit against the suspension decision in a Swiss civil court. According to Inside the Games, the FFR demanded that the Russian athletes be allowed to compete as neutral athletes, but the FIE rejected the proposal.» The Ukrainian Fencing Federation calls on the FIE and all national federations to follow the recommendations of the IOC and not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in official competitions even under the flag of the FIE,» the minister quotes Inside the Games with reference to Francs Jeux. Earlier, Russian entrepreneur Alisher Usmanov suspended his work as FIE president » until justice is restored», and the head of the Russian Olympic Committee, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, resigned as president of the European Fencing Confederation (EFC).
