Ukrainian fencer Olha Kharlan stated the foundations of her game will have to be modified following her disqualification for refusing to shake fingers with Russian Anna Smirnova on the Global Fencing Championships in Milan, Italy.

Kharlan, a four-time international champion and Olympic medalist, received the person saber bout on July 27 through a rating of 15-7 over Smirnova after which refused to shake fingers with the Russian competing as a impartial, providing a slightly of her saber’s blade as an alternative.

“I didn’t need to shake fingers with this athlete, and I acted with my center. So once I heard that they sought after to disqualify me it killed me such a lot that I used to be screaming in ache,” she stated on July 27 on Instagram.

“I feel I perceive, like everybody else on this international, in a sane international, that the foundations have to switch for the reason that international is converting,” she added.

Shaking an opponent’s hand after a bout is obligatory in fencing and common in different sports activities comparable to tennis.

Tennis participant Elina Svitolina and native soccer golf equipment Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk are amongst the ones expressing cohesion on social media with the 32-year-old fencer.

Svitolina refused to shake fingers with Belarusian participant Aryna Sabalenka previous this month after shedding to her at Wimbledon.

The Fencing Federation of Ukraine (NFFU) stated previous it was once making ready to enchantment a call to disqualify Kharlan.

Smirnova was once livid over the handshake snub and her defeat and refused to go away the sector for greater than a part an hour after the incident.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak stated the verdict through the Global Fencing Federation (FIE) to disqualify Kharlan was once “completely shameful.”

Podolyak posted a photograph on Twitter of Smirnova smiling and flashing the victory signal, wearing a cap with a Russian megastar logo.

“As you’ll see, she brazenly admires the Russian military, which is killing Ukrainians and destroying our towns,” he stated.

It was once no longer transparent when the photograph was once taken.

Mykhaylo Illyashev, NFFU president, stated the federation absolutely helps Kharlan in a commentary broadcast through Ukrainian tv.

“We have now already submitted our protest to the Bureau of the Global Fencing Federation,” Ilyashev informed newshounds. “We’re ready for the instant attention of this protest, in order that this disqualification is canceled and Olha can participate in group competitions.”

Ilyashev famous that the disqualification seemed after the following fit have been scheduled. He added that the disqualification bars Kharlan from taking part in group competitions that may happen on the Global Championships in a couple of days.

He stressed out the significance of lifting the suspension prior to the group festival for the reason that Global Championships supply athletes many alternatives to attain issues for qualifying for the Olympics.

Kharlan, 32, claimed she have been informed through the president of the FIE that she may just forego the post-bout handshake.

Emmanuel Katsiadakis of Greece had even confident her that it was once “imaginable” to provide a slightly of her blade as an alternative following her victory, she informed newshounds.

“I believed I had his phrase, to be secure, however it seems that, no,” Kharlan stated of Katsiadakis, who succeeded Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov as head of the ruling frame within the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“This federation won’t ever alternate. After all, I have no idea if I can nonetheless be alive if that finally ends up taking place,” she stated.

She stated she had no regrets, having received Olympic gold within the group match in Beijing in 2008.

“All I do know is that I actually made the fitting selection,” she stated.

Smirnova has been allowed to take part within the Global Championships as a impartial athlete.

The Global Olympic Committee (IOC) in a while July 27 recommended sports activities federations to turn sensitivity when dealing with contests between Ukrainian athletes and Russians competing as neutrals.

The IOC stated it was once conscious about the “tricky internal conflicts” Ukrainian athletes could have, given the “aggression” towards their nation.

“Due to this fact, we inspire world federations to maintain eventualities involving Ukrainian and person impartial athletes with the essential stage of sensitivity,” the IOC stated. “We proceed to face in complete cohesion with the Ukrainian athletes and the Olympic neighborhood of Ukraine.”

Russia introduced its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, 4 days after the ultimate rite of the Beijing Wintry weather Olympics.

The IOC imposed sanctions towards Russia and Belarus however previous this yr approved athletes from the 2 international locations to compete as impartial athletes.

The IOC has but to make a last choice on whether or not to permit Russians and Belarusians to compete within the Paris Olympics in 2024.

With reporting through AFP and Reuters