Ukraine will demand the cancellation of the permit for the 2030 World Weightlifting Championships in Moscow
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine is preparing an appeal to the IWF and the IOC demanding a review of the decision to hold the 2030 World Championships in Moscow. Matvii Bidnyi called on partners to prevent the competition from taking place in Russia.
Ukraine is preparing an appeal to the International Weightlifting Federation and the International Olympic Committee regarding the decision to grant Russia the right to host the 2030 World Championships. Youth and Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi stated this on social media on October 26, UNN reports.
Details
"We are preparing official appeals to the International Weightlifting Federation and the International Olympic Committee regarding the shameful decision to grant Russia the right to host the 2030 World Championships. We call for this decision to be reviewed and for a new, transparent selection process to be held to determine the country that will host the championships," Bidnyi wrote.
He noted that he would raise this issue with international partners, in particular at upcoming official events with the sports ministers of the countries of the Council of Europe and the EU.
"We seek to consolidate the international position—we call on the international sports community to publicly oppose holding the championships in Russia. As long as Russia continues its war against Ukraine, holding international competitions on its territory is unacceptable. This decision is especially cynical now, when, on the eve of winter, Russia is intensifying its strikes on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, killing people and threatening Europe. Against this backdrop, the international federation is inviting the global sports community to gather in Moscow, from where orders for these crimes are issued. In effect, it is asking them to turn a blind eye. For the Kremlin, such a championship would become an instrument of propaganda and Putin’s political rehabilitation. This is a dangerous signal that a country can continue waging war while simultaneously returning to international sport. It encourages impunity and shows contempt for the principles that global sport should protect," the minister added.
Bidnyi emphasized that Ukraine "will use all available mechanisms and will continue working with international partners to call for this championship not to be held in Russia."
As a reminder
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) granted Russia the right to host the 2030 Senior World Championships. The competition will be held in Moscow. This is the first case since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in which an international federation of an Olympic sport has entrusted Russia with hosting a World Championships event of this level.