Ukrainian Triathlon Federation are protesting against the involvement of Russian athletes

05.07.2024

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World Triathlon’s Secretary General Antonio Arimany

Dear Antonio Arimany,

We, as the Ukrainian Triathlon Federation, are protesting against the involvement of Russian athletes in any and all international competitions, including the Triathlon World Cup which is taking place in Tiszaujvaros, Hungary.

We would like to highlight that athletes from Russia are classified as military servicemen, and are firmly banned from participating in any international sports event. We wish to underscore that allowing athletes with direct affiliations to the Russian military undermines the integrity of the competition and can be perceived as an implicit endorsement of the actions of the Russian military. Furthermore, the involvement of such athletes contradicts the sanctions and bans that have been imposed by various international sports federations in response to the ongoing conflict. The inclusion of Russian athletes, who are essentially representatives of the military, is not only inappropriate but also insensitive to the plight of those affected by the conflict.

In light of the above, we urge the organizing committee to reconsider and enforce a ban on Russian athletes from participating in the Triathlon World Cup.

We appreciate your attention to this matter and hope that you will take immediate steps to address our concerns.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Yours sincerely,

Bogdan Mykhalus

President of the Ukrainian Triathlon Federation