Fencer Olha Kharlan became the first athlete representing Ukraine to compete against a Russian or Belarusian since Russia’s invasion last year when she took on Anna Smirnova on July 27 at the world championships.
The Ukrainian sports ministry late on July 26 changed its previous policy from barring athletes from facing Russians or Belarusians competing as neutrals.
The new policy says Ukrainians are barred from facing those athletes who “represent the Russian Federation and Belarus”.
