Sawt Falasteen - Ukrainian fencer Kharlan disqualified in 'shameful decision'

"The decision," wrote presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak on social media, "is the manifestation of a complete lack of empathy, misunderstanding of the emotional context and is absolutely shameful."

Four-time sabre world champion Kharlan had told AFP a fortnight ago she would not shake hands with a Russian if she fought one.

She had earlier on Thursday become the first athlete officially representing Ukraine to face a Russian or Belarusian opponent since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

The president of the International Fencing Federation (FIE), Uzbekistan-born Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov stood down following the invasion. FIE's rules say: "The two fencers must shake hands once the result is given."

Kharlan, 32, had been given the green light only at 0600GMT on Thursday morning, hours after the Ukraine sports ministry changed its previous policy of barring athletes from facing Russians or Belarusians competing as neutrals.

Under the new policy, Ukrainians cannot face athletes who "represent the Russian Federation and Belarus".

Smirnova was competing in Milan as a neutral.

Ukrainian tennis players have been playing Russians and Belarusians since the invasion, but as individuals not representing their country.

They too have avoided shaking hands.

"They are right not to shake hands, I cannot imagine a scenario where I would," Kharlan told AFP.

"We have different fronts, we also have sport which is about the fight and the struggle."

The change of tack by the Ukrainian sports ministry reduced the chances of a boycott of the Paris Olympics next year.

The statement read they would not send national teams "to participate in international sports competitions, in which athletes representing the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus participate under their national flags, and/or use their own national symbols, and/or express their affiliation with the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus by their public actions or statements."

This relaxation of the policy permits Ukrainian athletes to compete and earn invaluable qualifying points for the Games.

This opportunity was denied to Igor Reizlin, who withdrew from his fencing bout against a Russian on Wednesday but Kharlan seemed to have seized the chance with both hands.

Kharlan -- who hopes to add the elusive Olympic individual gold next year to complete the full set of titles -- outclassed Smirnova and was cheered on by around 20 members of the Ukrainian delegation chanting 'Slava Ukraini' ('Glory to Ukraine').

- 'Different fronts' -

Smirnova furious at the snub and her loss refused to leave the arena and sat glowering on her chair for an hour.

Smirnova, though, does not benefit from Kharlan's disqualification.

Kharlan was livid with the IOC and the FIE for permitting Russians and Belarusians to compete again, albeit as neutral athletes. Fencing was the first sport to open their doors in March.

Belarus is seen as Russia's ally in the Ukraine invasion.

"How are Ukrainian athletes meant to feel when the IOC should be on our side and delivering justice but in fact they are doing things totally against us?" she said in an AFP interview earlier this month.

Kharlan expressed doubts about Ukraine's policy of barring their athletes from events where Russians and Belarusians were competing.

Ukraine's judokas were pulled out of the world championships earlier this year because Russians and Belarusians were present.

"It is important to our nation we do not remain on the couch," she told AFP.

"I am really proud of our tennis players and imagining myself in their place, playing or fencing against the people whose country is bombing and killing our compatriots.

"It must be very hard but you know you have to as it is a way of fighting, you are the fighter in your own way."

The IOC is yet to make a final decision over whether to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete in Paris. That leaves open a potential change of mind by the Ukraine over a boycott.

"We have not yet taken a decision regarding the Olympics," Vadym Gutzeit, Ukrainian Sports Minister and a former fencer himself, told Le Monde newspaper on Tuesday.

"We await the final decision to see if (the Russians and Belarusians) will be given the green light to compete or not."

Q.Bulbul--SF-PST