IOC assures Ukraine fencer of Paris Games spot after DQ for not shaking hands with Russian opponent
The IOC has assured Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan that she will have a place at the Paris Olympics next year after she was disqualified from a key ranking event for refusing to shake hands with a Russian she had beaten
By GRAHAM DUNBAR
Published - Jul 28, 2023, 01:23 PM ET
Last Updated - Jul 28, 2023, 01:23 PM EDT
GENEVA (AP) — The IOC assured Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan on Friday that she will have a place at the Paris Olympics next year after she was disqualified from a key ranking event for refusing to shake hands with a Russian she had beaten.
In a letter to Kharlan, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said it would make a “unique exception” by allocating her an extra place to ensure she competes in Paris.
“It is admirable how you are managing this incredibly difficult situation,” wrote Bach, who like Kharlan is a former Olympic champion in a fencing team event.
Each Olympic sport has a strict quota for athletes within the IOC-imposed 10,500 overall total at the Summer Games in Paris.
