According to Ukrainian website Suspilne Sport, Oleg Ilchenko, vice-president of the Boxing Federation of Ukraine (FBU), the country’s boxers will not compete on the same stage as athletes from the aggressor countries.
The one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is this Friday. The already troubled International Boxing Federation was exacerbated by the invasion, as it is led by Russian official Umar Kremlev, a close ally of Vladimir Putin.
Our answer is clear: our athletes and Boxing Federation of Ukraine representatives do not perform where the representatives of the aggressor countries, Russia and Belarus, will perform, Ilchenko was quoted as saying.
Last October, Kremlev defied the International Olympic Committee and lifted a ban on Russian and Belarussian boxers competing under their own flag at international tournaments.
Due to the inclusion of Russian and Belarussian boxers, several countries have withdrawn from the championship. Aside from Ukraine, the United States, Britain, Switzerland, Poland, the Netherlands, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Canada have all withdrawn from the women’s World Championships, which will be held from March 15 to 26 at New Delhi’s KD Jadhav Stadium.
The Boxing Federation of India announced on Wednesday that more than 350 boxers from 74 countries will compete in the event, which will also serve as a qualifying event for the Paris Olympics.
Ukraine has joined a growing list of countries boycotting the Women’s World Boxing Championships in Delhi.
By tirupatinews
