No more sabre-rattling: Ukraine’s Kharlan keen to fence against Russians

PARIS – Ukraine fencing great Olha Kharlan believes she and her teammates should be allowed to compete in individual events and carry the fight to the Russians on “all fronts”.

The 32-year-old quadruple world sabre individual champion is angry at the Russian invasion of her country and concerned for her family – her father has slept in the bomb shelter in Mykolaiv for the past year, telling her “it is better to stay here”.

Kharlan is furious with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Fencing Federation (FIE) for permitting Russians and their Belarusian allies to compete again, albeit as neutral athletes.

But she also strongly takes issue with the Ukrainian government barring its athletes from taking on the Russians in individual events.

“(IOC president Thomas Bach) keeps saying the IOC and international federations have to give hope to everyone. But how many chances do we have to give the Russians? The war is not finished yet,” said Kharlan.

“Bach talks about there being so many other wars in the world but, to my mind, no one apart from Russia has started three in recent memory.

“How are Ukrainian athletes meant to feel when the IOC should be on our side and delivering justice but in fact they are doing things totally against us?”

As a result of Kyiv’s policy of refusing to let Ukrainian athletes take on the Russians, Kharlan risks missing out on winning a possible individual Olympic gold in Paris in 2024.

The two-time Olympic bronze individual medallist – she also collected team gold in 2008 and silver in 2016 – could miss out on qualifying for the Games if the ban stays in place.

However, she will be able to compete in the team event at the upcoming world championships in Milan, a short journey from Bologna, where Kharlan and her teammates are based.

However, she would prefer the fencers can compete like their tennis counterparts, who have had to grit their teeth and play Russians and Belarusians.

“It is important to our nation we do not remain on the couch,” she said.

“I am really proud of our tennis players and imagining myself in their place, playing or fencing against the people whose country is bombing and killing our compatriots.

“It must be very hard but you know you have to as it is a way of fighting, you are the fighter in your own way.”

Kharlan believes the tennis players’

refusal to shake hands

with their Russian and Belarusian opponents is an eloquent enough expression of their disgust.

“They are right not to shake hands. I cannot imagine a scenario where I would,” she said.

“We have different fronts, we also have sport which is about the fight and the struggle. I am really proud of the tennis players, it must be really tough.”

Kharlan said support for Ukrainian athletes competing stretches to the front lines.

“I hope I will compete in the individuals because I think it is very important for Ukrainians in general,” she said.

“The soldiers who are protecting us follow our results. When I heard someone on the front line watched my bout online, I was speechless.

“You cannot imagine how is it possible! Oh my God! They take the time when they are protecting my family to watch fencing. You feel like proud of yourself, it is so cool, what an honour.”

Kharlan has been back to Ukraine twice since she left in mid-February 2022 – she lives with her Italian boyfriend – and they have been salutary reminders of what her family and compatriots face daily.

She was in Lviv last October for the Ukrainian championships.

“Amazing even in war it is possible to hold them,” she said. “I was with my mother... and for the first time in my life I heard explosions, air raid sirens and rockets.

“I was scared but my mum looks at me and says ‘It is like this OK, it is like this, you have to stay calm’.” AFP