War has killed 262 Ukrainian athletes, sports activities minister says
Russia’s struggle towards Ukraine has claimed the lives of 262 Ukrainian athletes and destroyed 363 sports activities services. Meeting the visiting president of the International Federation of Gymnastics, Morinari Watanabe, sports activities minister, Vadym Huttsait mentioned no athletes from Russia ought to be allowed on the Olympics or different sports activities competitions.
Kyiv,UPDATED: Apr 2, 2023 14:51 IST
Ukrainian servicemen decrease to grave a coffin with the physique of their brother-in-arms Volodymyr Androshchuk, who was lately killed in a struggle towards Russian troops (Reuters picture)
By Reuters: Russia’s struggle towards Ukraine has claimed the lives of 262 Ukrainian athletes and destroyed 363 sports activities services, the nation’s sports activities minister, Vadym Huttsait, mentioned on Saturday.
Meeting the visiting president of the International Federation of Gymnastics, Morinari Watanabe, Huttsait mentioned no athletes from Russia ought to be allowed on the Olympics or different sports activities competitions.
“They all support this war and attend events held in support of this war,” Huttsait mentioned, in keeping with a transcript on President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s web site.
READ | Russia, accused of struggle crimes, assumes UN Security Council presidency
The International Olympic Committee has really helpful the gradual return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to worldwide competitors as neutrals. It has not selected their participation within the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Ukraine mentioned on Friday its athletes won’t be allowed to participate in qualifying occasions for the 2024 Games in the event that they must compete towards Russians, a call the IOC has criticised.
Reuters couldn’t independently confirm the variety of Ukrainian athletes killed or what number of services have been destroyed.
In the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022, plenty of Ukrainian national-level athletes have taken up arms voluntarily to defend their nation.
Among these killed this yr alone have been determine skater Dmytro Sharpar, who died in fight close to Bakhmut, and Volodymyr Androshchuk, a 22-year-old decathlon champion and future Olympic hopeful.
READ | Russian troopers in Ukraine typically drunk from lack of self-discipline, low morale
Published On:
Apr 2, 2023
