Earlier, FINA approved the decision not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete until the end of the year.
Ukrainian swimmers and other representatives of water sports have made a petition to the International Swimming Federation (FINA).
The statement, which was signed by 41 Ukrainian athletes, requires the exclusion of Russian Maria Polyakova from the FINA Athletes’ Commission.
The text of the statement was published by Andrey Govorov, who has been a member of the European Swimming League (LEN) Athletes’ Committee since May this year. In addition to Govorov, the statement was signed by diver Alexei Sereda, swimmer Mikhail Romanchuk, members of the country’s national water floor team and others.
“FINA has announced the entry of a Russian representative to the Athletes Committee.
130 days of war that continues.
The Russian Federation continues to shell civilians every day – people are dying.
Ukraine is losing its athletes and coaches.
We mourned the former captain of the water polo team Yevgeny Obedinsky, who died in Mariupol.
95 sports infrastructure facilities were destroyed, among them swimming pools in Mariupol and Kharkiv.
There is no equal opportunity for Ukrainian athletes because they cannot train and stay safe.
We are for respect for true human and Olympic values. We are for fair play. Sport is an instrument of peace.
the Russian Federation should not have the right to participate in sports competitions and represent the interests of other athletes. We, Ukrainian athletes, ask to immediately remove the representative of the Russian Federation Maria Polyakova from membership in the FINA commission and deprive the athlete of the right to vote in it.
Recall that FINA approved the decision to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in their competitions until the end of the year, which included the non-admission of the teams of the two aggressor countries to the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, which took place in Budapest.
Also, the International Swimming Federation suspended the Russian for nine months. Evgenia Rylovawho, after the start of the Russian invasion, attended a pro-war rally in Luzhniki.
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine with the support of Belarus continues for the 130th day.
Source: Sportarena
