The Ukrainian believes that such athletes should not be allowed to compete
Ukrainian swimmer Alexander Komarov moved away from “neutral” Kirill Pulver at the award ceremony Paralympic Games 2024 in Paris.
In the 200m freestyle, Komarov finished third. The gold went to Italy’s Francesco Bocciardo, who set a Paralympic record, and Pulver came in second.
After the award ceremony, Komarov said that he explained to Bocciardo his decision to step aside during the joint photo of the winners because Pulver was nearby.
“I said that I would have to step away from him because there was a subject of the Russian Federation standing next to him, supposedly neutral, but we all know that neutrality is only on paper. I congratulated him and wished him success, after which I stepped away [и положил руку на сердце]. With Ukraine in my heart and I hope for our quick victory.”
On the first day of competition, Ukrainian athletes won four awards (two silver and two bronze) in swimming.
The 2024 Paralympics are taking place in Paris from August 28 to September 8. The Ukrainian team is represented at the Games by 140 athletes. Ukrainians will compete in 17 of the 22 Paralympic sports – this is a record in the history of our country.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
