Ukrainian fencer Kharlan: Russians know I work for Ukraine's Security Service. Let them fear me!
Olha Kharlan, Ukraine’s Olympic champion in sabre fencing, received the Badge of Honour from the National Academy of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), where she has been working for a long time.
Source: Press service of the Security Service of Ukraine
Details: The athlete met with the cadets of the Academy, where she has been working for a long time (according to Ukrainska Pravda, she has been working there for at least 10 years).
Andrii Cherniak, Rector of the National Academy of the Security Service of Ukraine, handed Kharlan the highest award of the institution and thanked her for sending a powerful message – Ukrainians do not shake hands with Russians.
It is also reported that, in addition to the cadets of the Academy and colleagues, Olha was congratulated on her courageous act at the competitions by the servicemen of the 114th Separate Territorial Defence Brigade of Kyiv Oblast.
Quote Kharlan: "We cannot shake hands with our enemy. Instead, we should show the whole world that the war continues and that these ‘neutral’ athletes should not be able to perform on the international stage. And we will do everything so that they are not at the Olympics or at any world competitions. I am proud to be an employee of the Security Service of Ukraine, in particular the National Academy of the SSU. And I am proud that the Russians know that I work for the SSU. Let them fear me!"
Background:
- On 27 July, Olha Kharlan defeated Anna Smirnova, a fencer from Russia with neutral status, at the start of women’s individual tournament at the World Fencing Championships, but refused to shake her hand after the fight.
- After the complaint of the Russian athlete, Olha Kharlan was disqualified from the World Fencing Championships. But later, the executive committee of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) overruled the black card for the Ukrainian fencer. She will be able to compete at the World Championships, but then she will be suspended for two months.
- Kharlan also spoke of the threats coming from Russians after refusing to shake hands with her Russian opponent.
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