The International Fencing Federation (FIE) has announced the list of participants for the 2025 World Championships, which will be held in Tbilisi from July 22 to 26. The list includes 37 “neutral” athletes, including representatives of the Russian armed forces.
FIE Allows Russians from the Russian Army to Participate in the World Fencing Championships
Despite the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee, which directly prohibit participation in international competitions for athletes who have contracts with military formations of Russia or Belarus, the FIE allowed such persons to participate in the tournament. In particular, the list includes Russian Army Major Sofya Velikaya, Lieutenant Yana Egoryan and Warrant Officer Olga Nikitina.
The Ukrainian Fencing Federation (UFF) has sharply criticized this decision. Its head Mikhail Ilyashev called the admission of military personnel a slap in the face not only of Ukrainian athletes, but of the entire sports community. According to him, the “neutrality” check is just a formality that has no real content.
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— “Neutrals” will be at the World Championships in Tbilisi. Bravo, FIE, — wrote Olympic champion Olga Kharlan on Instagram.
Photo: Instagram Olga Harlan
Let us recall that in 2024, Velikaya became Vladimir Putin’s trusted person in the elections, and in 2025, she was included in Ukraine’s sanctions list.
This is not the first time that the FIE has ignored the IOC's recommendations. In 2024, the federation allowed neutral Russians and Belarusians to participate in team competitions, including the European Championships, where they competed as a team.
