Ukraine Swimming Federation Calls On FINA To Suspend Russia / Belarus & Cancel All Events
The Ukraine Swimming Federation has called on FINA to suspend Russia and Belarus and remove all events from the aggressors in Vladimir Putin’s bloody invasion of the sovereign territory of Ukraine in defiance of international law and worldwide condemnation.
President of Ukraine Swimming Andrei Vlaskov notes in his letter to “Mr. Husain Al Musallam, FINA President, FINA Member Federations and the Aquatic Community” that Ukraine will not send athletes to the two World Championships still scheduled to take place in Kazan, Russia this year.
He writes: “Ukrainian athletes are forced to defend their homes and families and cannot train or compete solely because of the inhumane actions of the Russian and Belarusian governments. In such situation Ukrainian Teams will have not possibilities to take part in FINA competitions on the territories of Russia or Belarus, particularly in the FINA World Swimming Championships and the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2022 in Kazan, Russia.”
The World Junior Championships is scheduled for August, while the World Short-Course Swimming Championships are due to be held in December. FINA announced the cancellation of two events on Friday after the International Olympic Committee urged all international federations to cancel all events in Russia and Belarus. However, FINA left the global showcase events on the calendar.
Nordic Swimming federations have also called on FINA to suspend Russia and Belarus and remove all events scheduled to take place in those countries.
Sources close to FINA have indicated that it is only a matter of time before the global regulator, forced by events, will have to cancel and reallocate its events.
SOS yesterday called on FINA to strip Putin of the FINA Order, the regulator’s highest honour, he received in 2014 after the ruling executive made a decision to break the constitution and grant the prize to the Russian president without reference to the Bureau tasked to make such decisions.
Today the International Judo Federation (IJF) suspended Putin as its honorary president, the latest of waves of condemnation of and action against the act of war perpetrated by Putin and those doing his bidding.
The Ukraine Swimming Federation Letter To Fina
The Russian Federation with the support of the Republic of Belarus has started the new wave of aggression against Ukraine. This is an act of war, an attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, a brutal violation of the UN Charter and basic norms of the international law as well as the principles of the Olympic Charter and FINA law.
Ukrainian athletes are forced to defend their homes and families and cannot train or compete solely because of the inhumane actions of the Russian and Belarusian governments.
In such situation Ukrainian Teams will have not possibilities to take part in FINA competitions on the territories of Russia or Belarus, particularly in the FINA World Swimming Championships and the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2022 in Kazan, Russia.
The Ukrainian Swimming Federation appreciated FINA decision to determinate and cancel some FINA events in Russia on March and April months this year.
However, the Ukrainian Swimming Federation call the FINA and international aquatic sports community immediately to suspend Russia and Belarus from all water sports events until and Ukrainian athletes may participate in sports activities on an equal footing.
Our request is supported already by numerous FINA Members Federations and International Federations of other sports.
Many thanks to all authorities and individuals who support Ukrainian peoples to live on the motherlands without military pressure from Kremlin and his satellites.
Sincerely Yours
President of the
Ukrainian Swimming Federation Andrii Vlaskov