Suomen Miekkailu- ja 5-otteluliitto esittää kansainvälisen kilpailutoiminnan siirtämistä pois Venäjältä

25.2.2022

Venäjän Ukrainassa käymän hyökkäyssodan vuoksi Suomen miekkailu- ja 5-otteluliiton hallitus esittää, että kaikki kansainvälinen kilpailutoiminta liiton edustamissa lajeissa lopetetaan Venäjällä toistaiseksi kuten Kansainvälinen olympiakomiteakin on 25.2. kehottanut. Liitto esittää myös huolensa Ukrainan miekkailu- ja 5-otteluyhteisön turvallisuudesta ja Venäjän aggression vaikutuksista kansainväliselle miekkailulle ja 5-ottelulle. 

Liitto tulee toimittamaan maanantaina vaatimuksesta alla olevan kirjeen Kansainväliselle (FIE) ja Euroopan (EFC) miekkailuliitoille. Viikonlopun aikana haetaan esitetyille vaatimuksille tukea myös muilta kansallisilta lajiliitoilta.

We, the signatories of this letter, would like to state our serious concern regarding the military aggression of the Russian Federation on Ukraine, the safety of the Ukrainian fencing community, and the effect of these actions on international fencing. We also join the International Olympic Committee in condemning these actions as breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian government.

As stated in Chapter I of the FIE statutes, “solidarity between the strong and the weak is an undeniable requisite, whether it be between continents, federations or athletes” for the fencing world to progress. We express our firm support for the Ukrainian people as well as our solidarity with the whole Ukrainian fencing community during these trying times.

Due to the events unfolding, many international sporting events have already been moved from the Russian Federation to other countries, including the UEFA Champions League final, Formula 1 Grand Prix, and ATP Challenger tournament. Furthermore, on 25th of February also the International Olympic Committee urged all International Federations to relocate or cancel their sports events currently planned in Russia or Belarus.

Under the current circumstances, we can not see how the Russian Federation could act as the host for international fencing competitions or other FIE and EFC activity. We therefore demand that FIE and EFC will:

• Cancel and/or relocate all international fencing competitions and tournaments currently planned to be held in the Russian Federation

• Cancel and/or relocate all meetings, trainings and other activities planned to be held in the Russian Federation

• Provide material and moral support for the Ukrainian fencers, coaches and fencing  community at large as needed

These actions should be upheld until the military aggression and/or occupation of Ukraine by the Russian Federation’s military has ended and international sanctions against the Russian Federation have been lifted.

On the 28th of February, 2022

Finnish Fencing and Pentathlon Federation, Joonas Lyytinen, President