This saga has been playing out for several days now, and I finally decided to do a story on it, based on this latest news; the reporter is Kristina Tsytsura.
For those not familiar with the backstory: There is a Russian girl named Anna Smirnova, who competes in the sport of women's fencing (saber). On 27 July Smirnova competed in a world championship and fought a duel against the reigning champion, Ukrainian citizen Olga Harlan. Olga won the match, as was expected, with a score of 15:7.
When the match was over, Smirnova put aside her saber, removed her glove, and approached Harlan, in order to shake hands. This wasn't just a question of politeness. Apparently, according to all the sports reporters who are writing about this story, it is written into the very rules of the sport. Namely, that a match is not considered over until the loser concedes defeat and shakes the hand of the winner. And it has to be bare hands, without a glove.
© Awful Avalanche
Smirnova didn't know what to do, so she just stood there aimlessly for a few minutes, waiting to see if Harlan would return and complete the requirements of the match.
After a few minutes Kharlan returned to the mat, but still wouldn't shake her hand, and then turned around again and left. At that point Smirnova appealed to the judges, to adjudicate the match. An hour went by. At first, after checking the rule book, the judges decided that Harlan, although winning the score, had forfeited the match and would not advance to the next round, due to her failure to formally conclude the match.
Some more time went, and then the judges reversed their decision, giving the victory to Harlan. Thus proving once again how international sports has become completely corrupted by the politics of the NATO countries.
The more days went by, the worse it got for Smirnova, and the better for Harlan. Not only did the judges change the rules of the sport on the fly (they ruled that a Ukrainian athlete should never have to shake the hand of a Russian), they even apologized obsequiously to Harlan for whatever mental distress had been placed upon her innocent brow; and for the crime of initially disqualifying her. Which they raced to reverse, as soon as the word came down from on high. Harlan is now being touted and celebrated, not for winning the match, but for her display of bad sportsmanship. One must remember that we live in an "Opposite World" now, where everything is the Opposite of what it should be. Good is bad, bad is good.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian/NATO internet began to hound Smirnova, who received the usual vilifications and death threats directed against "orcs". For the crime of being a Russian and for insisting on playing by the rules, as they are written in the rule book.
And now the Ukrainians, bloated with their victory and the power they wield in all spheres of life (except on the actual battle front), have taken it one step further: As Tsytsura reports, they are demanding that Smirnova be actually banned from the sport for life. In fact the Ukrainian Supreme Court just made such a demand to the International Olympic Committee. In other words, the Good Sport, Smirnova is to be reviled and cast out; whereas the Bad Sport, Harlan, is to be rewarded and praised.
Always more and more reasons in support of those, who suggest that Russia pull out of any international sports federations controlled by NATO countries; and should work together with China and other "normal" countries in the world, to build parallel structures. Where rules are rules, and where all athletes are treated with dignity. And, while we're at it, this is my humble suggestion, let's dispense with all the nationalism and flag-waving, and just have athletes compete as individuals. Representing only themselves.
Reader Comments
No - because at some point in the movie, the world-weary and degenerated inhabitants of the "Vortex" beg the barbarian Zed to kill them, and deliver them from their boring existence.