Ukrainian fencer Olha Kharlan was awarded a place in the 2024 Paris Olympics by the IOC on Friday after she was disqualified at the world championships for refusing to shake the hand of her Russian opponent.

  • 6mementomori@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2580·
    11 months ago

    y’all don’t understand we’re going by a dangerous route again with this kinda shit. nobody sane in their mind thinks Putin is in the right, but if y’all gon refuse to shake the hand of a competitor because they were born in the wrong country with the wrongest politician, that’s just petty and childish, and shows we really never learn from our mistakes.

    • Kinglink@lemmy.worldEnglish
      668·
      11 months ago

      Read up about this, because you’re mistaken. This wasn’t just because she’s from the “Wrong country”. She’s an outspoken advocate for the war. Kharlan’s brother is defending the Ukraine in the army.

      Yeah I wouldn’t be able to shake her hand either.

    • illi@lemm.eeEnglish
      452·
      11 months ago

      The Ukrainian fencer did offer her weapon for tapping it, which is pretty much an equivalent of a handshake - much less cordial, sure but still. It was the Russian who then threw a tantrum to fuck with her oponent.

    • symcal@lemmy.worldEnglish
      346·
      11 months ago

      No, the one being petty and childish is the Russian who puts out a hand to a person which country is being occupied by theirs.

      By competing under a Russian flag (or any flag for that matter) you represent a country and it’s ideas. The “petty and childish” stance is not being ashamed of what your country does to others, not the other way around.

      • PelicanenEnglish
        271·
        11 months ago

        Not to mention that Smirnova was offered to tap sabers and instead decided to sit and pout for close to an hour.

    • lasagna@programming.devEnglish
      245·
      11 months ago

      The dangerous route was already taken. Ukrainian people are getting slaughtered, today.

      What a beautiful speech you give, completely blind to reality.

    • Primarily0617@kbin.social
      202·
      11 months ago

      y’all don’t understand we’re going by a dangerous route

      who knew that pre-game handshakes were load bearing when it came to the apparent house of cards that is modern society