Otylia Jędrzejczak stimulates Europe's protest against starts together with the Russians and Belarusians
23:14
The ultimatum of Switzerland, and then of Poland, for the absolute exclusion of Russians and Belarusians under the threat of a boycott of the World Cup in Budapest (18 June – 3 July) was joined by Germany and the Scandinavian countries – Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.
The International Swimming Federation (FINA), the second most important Olympic discipline, only then changed its mind. And it banned the Russians and Belarusians from taking off. Previously, it was one of the sports federations with the longest delay in making such a decision. It believed that they could compete under a neutral federation flag.
"The Polish swimming community, like most representatives of the free world, is shocked by the events that are happening in Ukraine. The attack by the Russian Federation on an independent country must be associated with the exclusion of the aggressor from the international community in all areas of life, including sports. None of us today can imagine competing with players from Russia or Belarus, which supports aggression in Ukraine," Otylia Jędrzejczak, three-time Olympic medalist and head of the Polish Swimming Federation, wrote to FINA.
