The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Skating Federation have officially appealed to the International Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union to review the decision to allow Russian Federation figure skaters Petro Humennyk and Adeli Petrosyan to compete in international events, including the 2026 Olympic Games.
Grounds for the appeal
The letter from the Ukrainian authorities states that the athletes' public activities and actions do not comply with the principles of neutrality that the IOC requires of representatives of aggressor countries. In particular, it cites participation in events openly supporting the war, display of prohibited symbols, and contacts with public figures who spread Russian propaganda.
Arguments and demands
The Ukrainian side believes that admitting the named skaters undermines the provisions of the Olympic Charter and creates a risk of sport being used for political purposes. The appeal calls for a full investigation of the stated facts by the IOC and the ISU.
As long as the war against Ukraine continues, athletes who support aggression by actions or words, or belong to military formations, should not perform on the international stage in any capacity
– NOC of Ukraine
Next steps
The signatories of the appeal are NOC of Ukraine President Vadym Guttsait, Minister of Youth and Sports Matvii Bidnyi, and Skating Federation President Serhii Brodovych. They called for a comprehensive verification of the presented facts and insist on suspending Humennyk and Petrosyan from participation in international competitions, including the Olympic Games, if the violations are confirmed.
