Germany’s fencing federation has cancelled a women’s foil World Cup event after the sport’s global governing body (FIE) reversed a ban on athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus, it said on Thursday.
Athletes from the two countries were banned from many international competitions after Russia invaded Ukraine last February in what Moscow calls a ‘special military operation.’ More than 60% of nations voted to allow Russians and Belarusians to resume competing in FIE events at last week’s extraordinary congress.
German Federation (DFB) president Claudia Bokel said the decision had triggered a heated discussion. “Our solidarity is with the people of Ukraine who have suffered from a war of aggression,” Bokel said.