Baku, April 5, AZERTAC

The Polish Fencing Federation (PZS) refused to host the Women’s Foil World Cup stage in Poznan due to the possible participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus, according to Athletistic.

The FIE Congress in March decided to send athletes from Russia and Belarus back to international competitions. Later, the German Fencing Federation announced the refusal to host the women’s foil World Cup stage, the Finnish and Danish fencing associations, due to the admission of Russians, canceled the competitions theory in the country under the auspices of the FIE.

- The Polish Federation informs that due to the modification by the FIE of the qualification rules for the Women’s Foil World Cup in Poznań, participants and support staff with Russian and Belarusian passports, the Board of Directors of the PZS is forced to cancel this competition, said the Polish Federation in a report.

The stage of the Women’s Foil World Cup in the individual competition was scheduled for April 21-22, in the team competition - on April 23. This tournament was the qualification for the 2024 Olympics.

Even before the cancellation decision, PZS vice-president Adam Konopka had said that Tunisia could host the World Cup stage instead of Poland, allowing Russian athletes to participate in the competition.

Russian Fencing Federation (FFR) President Ilgar Mammadov told that PZS set difficult and impossible conditions for Russians to participate in the World Cup stage on their territory.

The Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recommended that international federations, if Russians are allowed to start, do so individually, in a neutral status, without participating in team events, and also exclude the participation of athletes associated with law enforcement agencies.