A bunch of Olympians who fled Russia following the invasion of Ukraine are hoping to compete on behalf of the U.S. within the upcoming video games.
Three Russian fencers — Konstantin Lokhanov, Sergei Bida, and Violetta Bida — are being supported of their bid for U.S. citizenship by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the nation’s fencing affiliation.
“All 3 of these individuals have made sacrifices at great personal cost and put their lives at risk to be able to represent our nation,” CEO of U.S. Fencing Phil Andrews instructed Congress in a Jan. 5 letter.
UK TO INCREASE UKRAINE AID TO $3.2B, ITS LARGEST ANNUAL FUNDING SINCE RUSSIA’S INVASION
The Paris Olympics 2024 brand is seen on one of many Paris Olympics 2024 official T-shirts on show in a store at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy-en-France, France. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto by way of Getty Pictures)
“We ask you to make every effort to support them in the extraordinary circumstance,” he added.
Citizenship is the primary impediment the fencers face because the 2024 Paris Olympics strategy. The video games are set to start on July 24.
“Olympic selection is hotly contested, and of course simply the acquisition of citizenship is urgent to be selected through the ranking system used to decide the majority of Team USA,” Andrews instructed USA Right this moment.
Sergei Bida and Violetta Bida are a newlywed couple and expect their first little one this yr, based on a report from USA Right this moment.
Due to her being pregnant, Violetta will be unable to compete in Paris.
Konstantin Lokhanov was previously married to the daughter of the president of Russia’s Olympic Committee. The couple divorced following Lokhanov’s determination to flee Russia in protest of the invasion and his spouse’s refusal to come back alongside.
The emblem of the Russian Olympic Committee is seen on the committee’s headquarters in Moscow. (REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov)
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Attorneys representing the Russian Olympians are contacting U.S. representatives and senators in search of assist for a invoice that may grant them citizen standing.
The authorized workforce is being led by former Olympic fencer Jack Wiener, who’s dealing with the case professional bono.
