Kyiv opposes the International Weightlifting Federation's decision to entrust the 2030 World Championships to Russia and is considering referring the matter to the competent bodies.
The International Weightlifting Federation announced on Sunday, October 25 that the 2030 World Championships will take place in Russia. The decision quickly sparked a strong reaction in Kyiv, where authorities consider that it sends a problematic signal in the context of the war that began in 2022.
The following day, Monday, October 26, Ukrainian Sports Minister Matviy Bidny publicly denounced the choice, calling the decision shameful. In his view, awarding a major international competition to a country whose athletes and institutions remain largely excluded from world sport raises a question of consistency and principle for the entire Olympic and sporting movement.
Kyiv has also announced it is preparing an appeal. The exact terms of this step were not detailed in the available information, but it forms part of a series of sporting disputes pitting Ukraine against Moscow since the start of the conflict. The statutes of the international federation and the rules governing the awarding of competitions are likely to be at the heart of these exchanges.
Russia, which has already hosted several major sporting events, had not, as of the date of this information, responded in detail to these criticisms. The question of the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions has been a recurring subject of debate, with some federations having restricted their access to certain events since 2022.
This controversy illustrates the difficulty facing sporting authorities in reconciling the regular staging of competitions with the geopolitical context. The award of the 2030 World Championships is therefore likely to continue fuelling debate in the coming weeks, both on the diplomatic front and within the weightlifting community.
The following day, Monday, October 26, Ukrainian Sports Minister Matviy Bidny publicly denounced the choice, calling the decision shameful. In his view, awarding a major international competition to a country whose athletes and institutions remain largely excluded from world sport raises a question of consistency and principle for the entire Olympic and sporting movement.
Kyiv has also announced it is preparing an appeal. The exact terms of this step were not detailed in the available information, but it forms part of a series of sporting disputes pitting Ukraine against Moscow since the start of the conflict. The statutes of the international federation and the rules governing the awarding of competitions are likely to be at the heart of these exchanges.
Russia, which has already hosted several major sporting events, had not, as of the date of this information, responded in detail to these criticisms. The question of the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions has been a recurring subject of debate, with some federations having restricted their access to certain events since 2022.
This controversy illustrates the difficulty facing sporting authorities in reconciling the regular staging of competitions with the geopolitical context. The award of the 2030 World Championships is therefore likely to continue fuelling debate in the coming weeks, both on the diplomatic front and within the weightlifting community.
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Source: Ouest-France