President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine (NOC) Vadym Hutsait, Acting Minister of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidny, and President of the Gymnastics Federation of Ukraine Oleksandr Sukhomlyn have addressed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Gymnastics Federation with a letter regarding the violation of recommendations regarding the neutrality of athletes from aggressor countries allowed to participate in international competitions.
"As it became known, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) allowed Russian and Belarusian trampoline jumpers who support the war in Ukraine to participate in international competitions and the World Cup (scheduled for the end of March in Germany). These include Kiril Kozlov, Danil Kazimov, Angela Bladtseva, Yana Lebedeva, and Ivan Lytvynovych," the NOC press service said in a statement.
It is noted that these athletes participated in various propaganda events, competed against the backdrop of banners with military Russian symbolism, and publicly expressed their pro-Russian position.
In connection with this, the Ukrainian side pointed out in the letter the evidence of their position and requested a review of the decision regarding these athletes, as it contradicts the criteria of neutrality defined by the IOC recommendations.
