Ukrainian fencer Olha Kharlan was awarded a place in the 2024 Paris Olympics by the IOC on Friday after she was disqualified at the world championships for refusing to shake the hand of her Russian opponent.
Ukrainian fencer Olha Kharlan was awarded a place in the 2024 Paris Olympics by the IOC on Friday after she was disqualified at the world championships for refusing to shake the hand of her Russian opponent.
No, the one being petty and childish is the Russian who puts out a hand to a person which country is being occupied by theirs.
By competing under a Russian flag (or any flag for that matter) you represent a country and it’s ideas. The “petty and childish” stance is not being ashamed of what your country does to others, not the other way around.
Not to mention that Smirnova was offered to tap sabers and instead decided to sit and pout for close to an hour.