Protests in Georgia against Russians being allowed to compete

The World Fencing Championships are currently taking place in Georgia. Russians and Belarusians were admitted to the tournament under neutral status, causing controversy.

Georgian activists staged a protest against the admission of representatives of the Russian Federation to the world championship.

At night, they set off fireworks under the hotel where the Russian team is staying. This was reported by the Georgian publication Interpressnews.

They also unfurled a banner reading, “Russian pigs, you are not welcome here. Today fireworks, tomorrow Grad rockets.”

A protest also took place in Tbilisi on the afternoon of July 27. It was held near the Olympic Sports Palace.

Local residents gathered to express their outrage that Russians are competing alongside civilized countries.

“They fence in Tbilisi and kill in Ukraine,” “Sports outside of politics? Tell that to those who died in the war!” “Russia’s white flag should be on the battlefield, not on the fencing piste of the world championship” — these were the slogans of the protest.

The International Fencing Federation (FIE) allowed athletes who have direct ties to the Russian armed forces to compete in the world championship under neutral status.

In particular, Russian army officers Sofia Velikaya and Yana Egorian. The federation ignored the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the admission of neutral athletes.