Protests have erupted outside the Olympic Sports Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia, over the participation of the Russian national fencing team in the World Championship.

Protests have erupted outside the Olympic Sports Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia, over the participation of the Russian national fencing team in the World Championship.

Source: Glavcom, as reported by Champion, a sports news platform within Ukrainska Pravda’s holding company

Details: Protestors gathered with banners reading: “They fence in Tbilisi – and kill in Ukraine”, “Sport is above politics? Tell that to those killed in the war”, “Russia’s white flag belongs on the battlefield, not the fencing piste”, and “Russian pigs, you are not welcome here! Today it’s fireworks – tomorrow it will be Grads”.

The last banner referred to an incident that occurred at around 04:00 on 27 July. Fireworks were set off outside the hotel where Russian athletes are staying. Protestors also burned a Russian flag.

🇬🇪«Росіяни, вам тут не раді!»: у Грузії збірну Росії з фехтування розбудили вибухами о 4 ранку перед матчем чемпіонату світу pic.twitter.com/dw3xnUokPV

— ГЛАВКОМ (@GLAVCOM_UA) July 27, 2025

Background:

The 2025 World Fencing Championship runs until 30 July. A significant number of Russian and Belarusian “neutral” athletes have been admitted to the tournament.Among them are Sofya Velikaya – a major in the Russian forces, Yana Egorian – a lieutenant and recipient of the Russian Defence Ministry’s medal For Strengthening Military Cooperation, and Olga Nikitina – a warrant officer in the Russian forces.Earlier, Ukrainian fencer Vlada Kharkova won her first-ever gold medal at the World Championship, triumphing in the women’s individual épée event. Additional medals for Ukraine have already been secured by Nikita Koshman, a semifinalist in the men’s épée, and Alina Komashchuk, who reached the semifinals in the women’s sabre.

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