«This is a slap in the face to every fencer»: Kharlan criticised the FIE's decision to allow Russian athletes to the 2025 World Championships

Olga Harlan. Photo: NOC of Ukraine

Olga Harlan, a well-known fencer from Mykolaiv, reacted to the decision of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) to allow 40 neutral athletes with Russian and Belarusian citizenship to participate in the World Championships in Tbilisi.

She wrote about this on her Facebook page.

Olga Harlan stressed that some of the admitted athletes are active military personnel, including officers of the Russian army. «Officer Sofiia Velikaia is a major in the Russian army. She is not just an athlete, but a part of the propaganda machine that has been justifying war and violence for years», Olha Kharlan stressed.

The athlete also warned that such actions by the FIE could jeopardise the Olympic future of fencing itself, as systematic violation of IOC rules is grounds for excluding a sport from the Games programme. She cited the example of boxing, which has already lost the support of the IOC due to similar governance issues.

«The IOC's recommendations are written in the blood of at least 650 Ukrainian athletes killed in the war. And at the same time, murderers in sports uniforms are standing next to you on the starting line», Olha Kharlan was outraged.

According to the athlete, the admission of Russians in «neutral» status is not an exceptional case, but a whole campaign that destroys Olympic values and turns sport into a propaganda tool.

It is worth noting that the International Fencing Federation (FIE) has published a list of «neutral» athletes who have been allowed to participate in the World Championships in Tbilisi. The organisation has admitted 40 neutral athletes with Russian and Belarusian citizenship. Among those admitted are Russian servicemen: Major Sofiia Velikaia, Lieutenant Yana Yegorian, Warrant Officer Olga Nikitina, and Alexandra Mikhailova. In 2024, Sofia was Vladimir Putin's confidant, and in April 2025, she was subjected to Ukrainian sanctions for 10 years. This will be the first international tournament for Yana Yegorian and Sofia Velikaya since their suspension in 2022.

The Ukrainian Fencing Federation (FFU) reacted sharply to the decision of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) to allow Russian athletes to participate in the world championships. The Ukrainian federation called this decision openly disrespectful and humiliating not only for Ukrainian athletes but also for the entire global sports community.