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The International Fencing Federation (FIE) also said it was reinstating Kharlan, allowing her to take part in the team competition at the world championships in Milan.
Emmanuel Katsiadakis, the Greek president of the FIE, said the decision had been taken “after consultation with the International Olympic Committee”.
Kharlan, the first fencer to face a Russian or Belarusian since the former’s invasion of Ukraine, won 15-7 against Russia’s Anna Smirnova on Thursday.
The 32-year-old four-time Olympic medallist refused Smirnova’s handshake afterwards, instead offering her sabre to tap blades, but FIE rules state that the two fencers must shake hands.
Smirnova staged a 45-minute protest and refused to leave the competition strip.
Kharlan was disqualified, claiming afterwards that Emmanuel Katsiadakis, the Greek president of the FIE, had even assured her that it was “possible” not to shake hands and offer a touch of her blade instead following her victory.
“I thought I had his word, to be safe, but apparently, no,” Kharlan said.
In response to her disqualification, the International Olympic Committee called for Ukrainian athletes to be treated “sensitively”.
Then on Friday, IOC President Thomas Bach, a former Olympic fencer himself, sent Kharlan a letter saying she would be guaranteed a place at next year’s Olympics in Paris regardless of whether she gained the qualification points.
Why should she be treated any differently than other athletes? She deliberately broke the rules, got a punishment, threw a fit overthe punishment, and now is getting a special place in the Olympics despite not qualifying for them? That seems kinda ridiculius IMO.
Being forced to shake hands with the representation of the people committing war crimes against your family and nation is an awful standard.
“Okay, we know he raped you, but it’s been 17 months. Just get over it and shake his hand.”
That’s a deranged analogy. Being from a nation doesn’t place the crimes of the government on every citizen. More, the olymics exists to be a place to attempt to step outside conflict, as hard as that might be.
That comparison makes no sense at all. Her opponent didn’t assault her, nor is she responsible for the actions of any of the government involved. She’s an athlete, not a head of state. She wasn’t fencing against Putin.
A more apt comparison would be to refuse to shake hands with anyone from France because you were assaulted by a French person once. You would be widely, and rightfully, decried as racist for such a position.
The rules are set up to present a ladylike/gentlemanly behavior in the face of good sportsmanship. There is nothing ungentlemanly or unladylike in refusing to shake hands when a sword tap will suffice.
There is also nothing unladylike about not wanting to touch the person who represents your rapists. If the athlete representing Russia doesn’t like that treatment, they can choose to participate without representing a nation.
There are simple solutions to all of these problems, but the most important aspect is she had an agreement with the official that a sword tap would be appropriate and acceptable beforehand. Downvotes mean nothing without a response. I can sign up for 10 accounts and manipulate the votes too!
The boyfriend of the russian fencer is currently in ukraine committing war crimes. She is a supporter of that genocide. Would you expect a jewish fencer during WW2 to shake hands with a fencer whose husband is in the SS?
It is really insensitive and anti-feminist to make rape comparisons because you can’t find less charged rhetoric to use. Most women experience sexual violence and something like 1/6 of of all women have ptsd on that account, it is very inconsiderate.
Considering how many Ukranian women and children are being literally raped by the Russian invaders, I’d say the comparison is plenty apt!
Your concern trolling is the thing that’s insensitive and inconsiderate.
And that has to do with this one woman competitor how? Did she sign off on the invasion?
No?
Then don’t compare her being there to a rapist.
The athlete in question is not their government, cannot prevent their government from doing the war, and is not responsible for any of the crimes of her government. Changing the rules for one athlete because she doesn’t like her opponent is ridiculous. This rule has been on the book for decades. People from countries in much more bitter wars have shaken hands.
And also the other fencer literally did not rape her, this situation isn’t even remotely comparable to what you just said. That’s an utterly ridiculous comparison. You’re making it out as though this one athlete is personally responsible for everything Russia has done in the last 2 years and should be treated as such.
That athlete represents the government in an official capacity at a world event. You’re making it out like they somehow don’t represent Russia.
I can see by your downvote but failure to reply that you believe the athlete does not represent Russia. Then why have country distinctions at all?
That’s easy to say thousands of kilometers removed from the atrocities. There’s a high likelihood that someone from her family or friends was killed, raped, or deported by someone from that other athelete’s friends or family. Whether or not you agree with the IOC ruling, show some fucking compassion for the athlete.
Furthermore let’s not ignore the fact that the Olympics have ALWAYS been politicized, and these things fucking matter. There are entire paragraphs on Jesse Owen’s wikipedia speculating on whether or not he shook Hitler’s hand, because Hitler snubbed the medal presentations because he was pissed that “coloured people” were winning.
Even taking a completely cynical look at things, the optics are extremely important, and all of this, from both atheltes’ behavior to the IOC’s reactions, are ALL political statements to a degree or another, and everyone imvolved is a grown-ass adults who didn’t have to hide behind a rulebook if they didn’t want to.
She competes for Russia, represents Russia at this event and thus has to live with meeting the same response as her country does
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