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Mike Chan

Ukraine’s athletes and coaches made their feelings known on Thursday about the return of the Russian delegation at the Kerry Fencing World Championships in Hong Kong.
The International Fencing Federation (FIE) announced last month its decision to allow Russia and Belarus to take part under their respective national uniforms, flags, anthems and acronyms, effective from the season-ending tournament at the AsiaWorld-Expo.
Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) also provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), which had been in effect since October 12, 2023.
The IOC already decided in May 2026 that it no longer recommended restrictions on Belarusian athletes’ participation.
The Ukraine team said they were angry and did not understand the decisions.

“I don’t understand why they did this. Is the situation in Ukraine now better?” Igor Reizlin, head coach of Ukraine’s men’s épée team, said. “It’s worse, much worse than it was, so I don’t know what to say.
“I think that they should not participate even here [in Hong Kong], not even as a neutral team.”
Kirill Onishchuk of Russia was in the same pool with Ukrainian épéeist Mykhailo Krasniuk, and the latter admitted there was “extra motivation and emotions” after winning the bout 3-2.
“For me, this fight was very important because it’s an aggressor country, which is waging a barbaric war against my country,” said the 24-year-old fencer, who emerged from the pool but lost to Poland’s Jan Socha 15-8 in the final knockout round.
“For me, it was very important to win this fight, and I think that was the most emotional fight for me,” Krasniuk added.
A member of the men’s épée bronze medallist team at last month’s European Championships, Krasniuk called the governing body’s decision “unacceptable”.
“Russia is waging war against Ukraine, a terrible war, and the world is starting to turn a blind eye to it,” he said. “This is unacceptable. I want to appeal to the international federation and say that this should not be [the case].
“I’m angry, and I don’t understand one thing. Why was it allowed to play without flags at first, and now you allow it with flags? All that was done was in vain.”
Unsurprisingly, the Russian delegation disagreed and said it was “already too late” to let them return, given the next Olympic Games are only two years away.
“It’s more difficult for us with épée than other weapons,” Alexey Tikhomirov, head coach of Russia’s men’s team, said.
“Sports is not politics, and the two should never be mixed up. I think it’s right that we got the flag right now. I am happy to be competing with my flag, and it’s been waiting too long.”
On the piste, three of Hong Kong’s fencers, two from men’s épée and one from women’s sabre, advanced to Sunday’s main draw after emerging from the pool stage and the preliminary knockouts.
Former Asian champion Cedric Ho Wai-hang and runner-up Ng Ho-tin both won their two knockout bouts to move on to the weekend, but teammates Fong Hoi-sun and Lau Ho-fung were eliminated.
“I didn’t do well in the pool stage and the memories of not getting past it a couple of times this season were haunting me,” Ho, the world No 72, said. “But reaching the knockout stage and beating Andrea Santarelli 15-10 in the first match brought my confidence back.
“It meant a lot to make the second day on home soil. I was fighting next to Ng in the final knockout match, so all the fans were gathering around us. Reaching the main draw felt like I could give something back to the spectators who came to support us.”
Tough draws await the Hongkongers, though. Ho will fight former world champion and world No 5 Gergely Siklosi of Hungary, while Ng will face Hungarian world No 12 David Nagy.
In the women’s sabre, world No 39 Summer Fay Sit was the only local fencer to reach the main draw, and will face Zhang Xinyi of China in the first round on Sunday.
Laren Leung Lok-man, Lau Yee-ching, and Chu Wing-kiu progressed from the pool stage, but all three lost in the first preliminary knockout round.


Ukraine fencers furious as Russia flag, anthem return to World Championships

Young Hong Kong fencer Harris Ho sweeps into main draw on World Championships debut

Hong Kong fencers prepare to compete at World Championships on home soil for first time

Hong Kong fencers looking forward to competing on home soil as World Championships loom

Fencing

Ukraine’s Mykhailo Krasniuk (left) takes on Israel’s Dov Vilensky at the AsiaWorld-Expo. Photo: Mike Chan

Hong Kong’s Cedric Ho reacts after reaching the main draw. Photo: FAHKC

Harris Ho (left) swept through the qualifiers 6-0 at the Fencing World Championships in Hong Kong. Photo: Elson Li

 Women’s épéeists Wu Haidi (left) also made it into the main draw on Saturday. Photo: Elson Li

Hong Kong star Ryan Choi faces race to be fit in time for World Fencing Championships

Hong Kong fencer Ryan Choi (right) sustained a left hamstring injury at the Asian Fencing Championship in New Delhi this week. Photo: Fencing Association of Hong Kong, China

The Hong Kong team of Cheung Ka-long, Ryan Choi, Leung Chin-yu and Harris Ho. Photo: FAHKC

Head coach Greg Koenig says he felt Hong Kong had what it takes to win gold. Photo: FAHKC

Sport

Other Sport

Sport allows athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete as part of a team and under their own flag in Hong Kong


Sport allows athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete as part of a team and under their own flag in Hong Kong.


Ukraine fencers furious as Russia flag, anthem return to World Championships

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Sport allows athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete as part of a team and under their own flag in Hong Kong

Sport allows athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete as part of a team and under their own flag in Hong Kong