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Diana Lobok from Ukraine competing during the balance sheet balance of the Qualification Bigsifier 17th. APARTICAL APARTS GAMNATE GAMNATE GIMNISH APARINE CONNECTIONS IN DOha, Qatar, 17. April 2025 (photo Nikku / Ksinhua via Getti Images)
Ksinhua news agency via Getty Images
Paris World Chap Chap is the key competition in the last weeks before the World Gymnastics Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia, in October. 12. September to 14. year, the event hosted athletes from countless nations, with seven gymnasts from the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation originally taken over to compete.
However, the competition will end today without Ukrainians in Paris in Paris, due to the withdrawal of the Federation of Sportsists of his nations. Why? Russian and Belarusian athletes’ Involving an event.
The Ukrainian Federation gymnastics shared its justification of the decision in the following statement published On Instagram.
“Ukrainian gymnastics The Federation continues to an uncompromise fight against the intentions of the aggressionary country to use sports for propaganda purposes.
Any participation of Russian gymnasts at international competitions, regardless of the presence of athletes of neutral status, is threatened with such participation to show the recognition of the aggressionary country as a civilized world.
However, it is rare for neutral status to be awarded to athletes who do not meet the established criteria of neutrality, as evidenced by facts.
Yes, many Russian gymnasts, including the status of a neutral athletes, are involved in the list of “champion of terror”, as it is reflected on the website of the Ministry of Defense Ukraine, namely: var-plans.gur.gov.ua.
Ukrainian gymnastics, the Federation believes that it is unacceptable to participate in competitions where “terrorism champions” participate. Certainly, non-participation of Ukrainian gymnasts in international sports competitions causes a sports composition, leaving a disease siege in our gymnasts and coaches, who have done a great job preparation of gymnasts for competitions.
However, the issue of national security, namely, its component as information security, prevails on all considerations and personal feelings.
The question is not what is stronger and that it will be better, because it will only reflect the sporting result, let alone winning.
The threat of joints with gymnasters belonging to the category “Terrorism champions” is the use of the country – aggressors of such common performances in order to justify and legitimize aggression on Ukraine among the foreign audience.
Ukrainian Federation is considering the participation of Ukrainian athletes in international sports competitions taking into account all possible advantages and shortcomings that should take into account the military situation in the country. ”
The Ukraine Warning is not too far
In August, the International Gymnastics Federation has published its official list of registration for the event. SL has confirmed the registration of five Russian or Belarusian gymnasts as authorized neutral athletes (Ain).
Their presence in Paris marked their official return to the international competition for the first time since 2021. years, after 2022. conducted Ban in Marta 2022. Year due to Russian war in Ukraine. The ban was raised 1. January 2024. years. The SL received a return, but only as “individual neutral athletes” (AIN) under strict conditions ban the national projection.
Their approval for the competition this September has achieved significantly disturbed, with many stating of the participation of Angelina Melnikonov, especially violates similar rules. Melnikov, world champion 2021. years and Olympic gold medalists, pointed out as a terrible conclusion due to its political involvement.
Approvals oppose the International Level of Federation of Gymnastics (SL) neutrality of neutrality in detail Ad-hoc guidelines.
When I spoke with Ukrainian gymnastics officials in AugustThe Federation Response was clear: The Fig Decision was a “correct” example “sports washing”.
According to Cambridge Dictionary, “Sportwashing is when sports – with all positive feelings inspires – used to turn attention from social or environmental problems. “
At that time, Irina Derigin, the President of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation, told me that the UGF would wait for the figs in relation to Russian and Belarusian involvement in Parisope competition.
However, I told me that if the image was not dealing with the UGFs on sports dust, Ukrainian athletes can be withdrawn from events in the “passive protest”.
Due to the inactivity of images regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the event, the Ukrainian Federation gymnastics withdrew its athletes, as the absence from competing lists on Friday.
Movement forward to the World Cup
The decision of the withdrawal in Ukrainian gymnasts could reach a large international scale in October. With the approval of a fig of Russian and the Belarusian authorized neutral athletes in Paris, their participation in the upcoming World Championship It seems likely.
Given the commitment of the UGF to challenge “Sports Rejection”, rejection of Ukraine to compete in a sports premiere competition as a certain possibility.
