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The Hindu
8 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Fencers urge federation to reinstate checks on ‘neutral' Russian, Belarusian athletes ahead of World Championships
More than 440 fencers from 40 countries signed an open letter urging the International Fencing Federation (FIE) to reinstate rigorous background checks on Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under neutral status. The letter, released by the Global Athlete movement on Thursday, follows the FIE's decision to list Russian and Belarusian fencers as 'neutrals' for the July 22–26 World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. The move has sparked criticism, with Ukraine's Fencing Federation saying it is considering unspecified legal action over the inclusion of athletes with Russian military ranks. Russia's war in Ukraine is more than three years old, after it invaded its neighbour in 2022. Elite fencers expressed their 'deep concern and disagreement' with the FIE's move to replace broader checks with a declaration of peace and neutrality. 'By removing comprehensive background checks, the FIE risks allowing individuals whose affiliations or actions conflict with the values of neutrality and non-violence to compete under a neutral status,' the letter read. 'The FIE's decision contradicts the core principles of fencing—respect, integrity, and fair play—and deviates from the approach originally taken by the international sporting community.' The FIE did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Last week, the FIE defended its stance, stating that it 'underscores the Federation's commitment to peace, fairness, and the global unity of sport'. 'Our approach is guided by our duty to protect athletes and preserve the integrity of competition. It is firmly anchored in the Olympic Charter and in our mission to safeguard the values of fencing,' the statement released last Friday said. 'The FIE's decision responds to a shared belief that athletes must not bear the consequences of geopolitical events beyond their control.' The European Fencing Confederation also criticised 'the lack of independent verification in the eligibility process for so-called neutral athletes'. Ukrainian Olympic multi-medallist Olga Kharlan, disqualified at the 2023 World Championships for refusing to shake hands with a Russian opponent, warned that FIE's decisions could jeopardise the sport's place in the Olympic program. 'We are really close to that moment that we won't be an Olympic sport, because this is not good for the promotion of the Olympic movement,' Kharlan told DW. 'To see (Russians) in competitions, it's an injustice for us.' Related Topics International Fencing Federation
New Indian Express
8 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
North Korea bans foreign tourists to newly opened beach resort
SEOUL: North Korea is banning the entry of foreign tourists to a recently opened mega beach resort, a move that dims prospects for the complex that leader Kim Jong Un hailed it as 'one of the greatest successes this year.' DPR Korea Tour, a website run by North Korea's tourism authorities, said in a notice Friday that the eastern coastal Wonsan-Kalma tourist complex 'is temporarily not receiving foreign tourists.' It gave no further details including why a ban was established or how long it would last. North Korea says the complex can accommodate nearly 20,000 guests. The resort opened to domestic tourists July 1 before receiving a small group of Russian tourists last week. Observers expected North Korea to open the resort to Chinese tourists while largely blocking other international tourists. Ban comes after visit by Russia's top diplomat The announcement came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov flew to the complex to meet Kim and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui for talks last weekend. North Korea and Russia have sharply expanded military and other cooperation in recent years, with North Korea supplying weapons and troops to back Russia's war against Ukraine. During a meeting with Choe, Lavrov promised to take steps to support Russian travel to the zone. 'I am sure that Russian tourists will be increasingly eager to come here,' he said. But experts say North Korea likely decided to halt foreigner travels to the zone because of a newspaper article by a Russian reporter who travelled with Lavrov that implied North Koreans at the zone appeared to be mobilized by authorities and not real tourists. 'The North Korean government is believed to have determined that it would face some negative consequences when it opens the site to foreigners,' said Oh Gyeong-seob, an analyst at Seoul's Korea Institute for National Unification. Oh said the ban would include Russians, but the North Korea-focused NK News website, citing tour groups specializing in North Korea trips, said Russians won't likely be targeted. Analyst Lee Sangkeun of Seoul's Institute for National Security Strategy said the ban could be associated with difficulties in recruiting Russian tourists because many would consider North Korea too far away and the trip too expensive.
Hindustan Times
20 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
North Korea bans entry for foreigners to new Wonsan beach resort
North Korea is suspending the entry of foreign tourists to a recently opened mega beach resort, a move that dims prospects for the complex that leader Kim Jong Un hailed it as 'one of the greatest successes this year.' Domestic tourists watch as a man uses a slide into a swimming pool at the Myongsasimni Water Park in the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area in Wonsan, North Korea's Kangwon Province(AFP) DPR Korea Tour, a website run by North Korea's tourism authorities, said in a notice Wednesday that the eastern coastal Wonsan-Kalma tourist complex 'is temporarily not receiving foreign tourists.' It gave no further details including why a ban was established or how long it would last. North Korea says the complex can accommodate nearly 20,000 guests. The resort opened to domestic tourists July 1 before receiving a small group of Russian tourists last week. Observers expected North Korea to open the resort to Chinese tourists while largely blocking other international tourists. Ban comes after visit by Russia's top diplomat The announcement came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov flew to the complex to meet Kim and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui for talks last weekend. North Korea and Russia have sharply expanded military and other cooperation in recent years, with North Korea supplying weapons and troops to back Russia's war against Ukraine. During a meeting with Choe, Lavrov promised to take steps to support Russian travel to the zone. 'I am sure that Russian tourists will be increasingly eager to come here,' he said. But experts say North Korea likely decided to halt foreigner travels to the zone, including visits by Russians, because of a newspaper article by a Russian reporter who travelled with Lavrov that implied North Koreans at the zone appeared to be mobilized by authorities and not real tourists. 'The North Korean government is believed to have determined that it would face some negative consequences when it opens the site to foreigners,' said Oh Gyeong-seob, an analyst at Seoul's Korea Institute for National Unification. Lee Sangkeun of Seoul's Institute for National Security Strategy said the ban could be associated with difficulties in recruting Russian tourists because many would consider the zone too far away and expensive. Ban likely won't remain for long Experts say North Korea must open the Wonsan-Kalma zone, the country's biggest tourist complex, to Russian and Chinese tourists after what was likely a huge construction and operational expenditure from the country's tight budget. 'If foreign tourists aren't allowed to the site, no Russian rubles, Chinese yuans and dollars won't come in. Then, North Korea can't break even and it has to shut down the resort,' said Ahn Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korean Studies think tank in Seoul. Kim has said the site would be 'one of the greatest successes this year' and 'the proud first step' in tourism development. North Korea's state media reports the Wonsan-Kalma site has been crowded with local tourists. North Korea has been slowly easing the curbs imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopening its borders in phases. But the country hasn't said if it would fully resume international tourism. Chinese group tours, which made up more than 90% of visitors before the pandemic, remain stalled. In February, North Korea allowed a small group of international tourists to visit the northeastern city of Rason, only to stop the program in less than a month.
