The leader of Ukraine’s national fencing team, Olga Kharlan, has been disqualified from participating in the World Championships after she refused to shake hands with Anna Smirnova, who is from Russia.
I absolutely understand not wanting to shake hands with your oppressor. As a fencer, I’ve been yelled at after forgetting to shake hands with an opponent, so I also understand how seriously a refusal is taken.
I wish that the rules allowed for some nuance in cases like this, but I understand why a sport born from combat requires unconditional amity between participants.
I wonder what the outcome would be if it was a germaphobic fencer who was only willing to tap blades? Was the punishment harsher because of the political tension of their home countries? Or is tapping blades considered completely unacceptable now?
Note: The culture at my club is that we all still just tap blades after a bout.
Hmm, that’s a good point. My last USA Fencing tournament was more than a year ago, and I don’t recall if I shook hands or tapped blades. My club mostly does fist bumps.
I absolutely understand not wanting to shake hands with your oppressor. As a fencer, I’ve been yelled at after forgetting to shake hands with an opponent, so I also understand how seriously a refusal is taken.
I wish that the rules allowed for some nuance in cases like this, but I understand why a sport born from combat requires unconditional amity between participants.
I wonder what the outcome would be if it was a germaphobic fencer who was only willing to tap blades? Was the punishment harsher because of the political tension of their home countries? Or is tapping blades considered completely unacceptable now?
Note: The culture at my club is that we all still just tap blades after a bout.
Other fencers at worlds were just tapping blades
Hmm, that’s a good point. My last USA Fencing tournament was more than a year ago, and I don’t recall if I shook hands or tapped blades. My club mostly does fist bumps.