262 Ukrainian athletes have died in battle, says sports minister Vadym Gutzeit

According to the country’s sports minister, Vadym Gutzeit, the war Russia is waging against Ukraine has killed 262 Ukrainian athletes and destroyed 363 athletic facilities. Huttsait welcomed Morinari Watanabe, president of the International Federation of Gymnastics, and argued that Russian athletes shouldn’t be allowed to compete in the Olympics or other sporting events. According to a transcript on President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s website, Huttsait said, “They all support this war and participate in events held in support of this war.”

The International Olympic Committee recommends that athletes from Russia and Belarus gradually return to competing as neutrals in international competitions. Regarding its participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics, it has not been decided. The IOC has criticized Ukraine’s decision to ban its athletes from competing in 2024 Olympic qualifying events if they must compete against Russians. Ukraine made this announcement on Friday. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the number of facilities destroyed or the number of Ukrainian athletes who were killed.

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Ukraine athletes took up arms to defend their country

Several Ukrainian national-level athletes have voluntarily taken up arms to defend their country in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Figure skater Dmytro Sharper, who died in battle near Bakhmut, and future Olympian and 22-year-old decathlon champion Volodymyr Androshchuk were among the victims this year alone. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The athletes from Belarus and Russia were prohibited from competing in international sporting events. Another important staging ground for Russia’s invasion was Belarus.

These athletes were still able to compete despite the ongoing conflict thanks to an Olympic summit on December 9. More than 30 countries sports politicians opposed the return of the athletes from the two countries. Also Ukraine threatened a boycott of Paris. Sports event organizers and international federations were advised by Thomas Bach on Tuesday that “athletes with a Russian or a Belarusian passport must compete only as Individual Neutral Athletes.”

These athletes should don all-white or one-color uniforms; team logos are not permitted. According to the IOC’s document. Athletes shouldn’t use social media to display their national flags or say anything, that “may be prejudicial to the interests of the competition, its integrity, or the participant’s neutrality.”

The Russia-Ukrainian War, which started in February 2014, is an ongoing international conflict involving between Russia and its backed separatists and Ukraine. Naval incidents, cyber warfare, and increased political tensions were also present during the first eight years of the conflict In February 2022. However, Russia began an all-out invasion of Ukraine that has destroyed numerous properties and killed more than 8,000 civilians, according to U.N. officials.

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