The NOC of Ukraine called for the exclusion of Russians who support the war from the European Taekwondo Qualification Tournament

National Olympic Committee of Ukraine turned to World Taekwondo (WT) And European Taekwondo Union (ETU) with a call to prevent the participation of Russian athletes who support the war against Ukraine in the European qualifying tournament.

Russians were allowed to attend the tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria Maxim Khramtsova, Polina Khan And Tatiana Minina. Khramtsov expressed support for Vladimir Putin and used the letter Z in his posts on social networks, Minina liked posts in support of military aggression against Ukraine. Khan liked posts supporting Russian aggression on Instagram.

Earlier, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Andrey Chesnokov and member of the Athletes’ Commission of the NOC of Ukraine Vladislav Geraskevich met with member of the IOC Executive Committee Emma Terho. The Ukrainian side provided facts that some leaders of international federations ignore the support of Russian athletes for the war of aggression. In particular, they talked about federations of wrestling, judo, taekwondo and others.

The NOC also sent a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach regarding the Russian wrestler Imam Ganishov, who was admitted to the European Wrestling Championships. The President of the National Olympic Committee, Vadim Gutzeit, provided evidence that the Russian visited the occupied territory of the Zaporozhye region and took pictures with a Russian serviceman. Note that Ganishov replaced another Russian fighter who also supported the war, Abdulrashid Sadulayev.

Early in the morning of February 24, 2022, Russia fired rockets and aerial bombardment of most Ukrainian cities, and then launched a full-scale military invasion. The war against Russia has continued for the 729th day.