The State Duma explained the refusal of Ukrainian athletes to shake hands with Russians

State Duma deputy Svetlana Zhurova said that the refusal of Ukrainian athletes to shake hands with Russians and demonstrative behavior can be understood, because showing friendliness would be fraught with negative consequences for athletes inside Ukraine.

In conversation with Lenta.On Tuesday, October 21, the parliamentarian noted that the demonstrative behavior of Ukrainian athletes towards Russian rivals has become regular. According to her, international organizations are meeting them halfway, realizing that any manifestation of friendliness at home can lead to serious problems for athletes. She called this behavior a way of survival.

Zhurova also admitted that international federations may eventually abandon the tradition of handshakes altogether in order to avoid conflicts. She stressed that Ukrainian athletes have to think not only about the competition, but also about how they look and behave in public.

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Earlier on October 21, the Ukrainian world and European freestyle wrestling champion of 2025, Alla Belinskaya, spoke about her impressions of the duel with Russian Ksenia Burakova at the European Championships in Slovakia. According to her, she did not consider the possibility of shaking hands with Russian wrestlers. The Russians competed at the World Championships under the banner of the United World of Wrestling (UWW), writes RT. At the World Championships in Zagreb, the Russian national team won 11 medals — one gold, four silver and six bronze. kp.ru .

In September, the Ukrainian gymnastics team refused to participate in the World Challenge Cup in Paris. Representatives of the Ukrainian national team explained their refusal to participate in the competition with the admission of Russian Angelina Melnikova. According to them, the International Gymnastics Federation should not have allowed her to perform because of her ties with CSKA. 360.ru .

Also in September, it was reported that Russian and Belarusian athletes would not be able to participate in the team competitions at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The relevant decision was made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), writes NSN.

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