From Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 519):
But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
Deliver me
from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
and from the deep waters.
Psalm 69:13-14
After seventeen months of full-scale war (and eight years of its hybrid stage), I have a rather emotionless response to the news – that’s my mental self-preservation resort. However, one of today’s reports left me choking with tears of insult and indignation.
Today, Olha Kharlan, a Ukrainian saber fencer, two-time team European champion, six-time individual European champion, two-time team world champion, and four-time individual world champion, had to face a fencer from Russia (competing in a neutral status) in Women’s individual tournament at the World Fencing Championships. Olha gained a fair victory (15:7), and the judges recognized it as such. However, she refused to shake hands with the fencer from Russia, which led to her disqualification. Likely, she will not be able to compete in group competitions for the next two months, which is an immense shock to her athletic career, but compromising her convictions would be even worse.
Someone said that Olha Kharlan had informed the International Fencing Federation (FIE) before the match that she would not shake hands with the Russian athlete. Some say that a handshake could be replaced with a “saber bump,” but the Russian athlete refused this greeting and demanded that the Ukrainian athlete be disqualified for “unsportsmanlike behavior.”
That was the short story. Now, let me share some of my thoughts.
Many voices claim that sports/ballet/opera/science/[insert any other field] is beyond politics, but it is faulty thinking. You cannot take yourself out of this world; whether you want it or not, even your silence is a loud statement.
Over 200 Ukrainian athletes and coaches died at the hands of Russians since the full-scale invasion. Olha Kharlan is from Mykolaiv, a city that is mercilessly shelled by the Russian army. Her rival actively supports the Russian military and is proud of her brother serving there. Would you shake hands with someone whose brother is killing your compatriots?
Many people believe that there is little an average Russian can do (and I disagree with it, but this is a discussion for a different time). However, we are talking about world-known champions, professional athletes (or artists), people of influence who could give up their careers in Russia as a statement to oppose the regime, and they would have been welcomed in other countries, being an asset to their athletic teams. They could use their name and public image to promote truth. Instead, they provoke and set up their rival, presenting themselves as victims!
I am very understanding, and I am not calling for vendetta on all Russians. But many people, who genuinely believe they are doing us all a favor when they try to reconcile Russia and Ukraine publically, must understand it is impossible now.
Forgive me for being graphic. I must use this example. Ukraine is being raped now. It is being raped by someone who had been continuously raping it in the past but had a relatively good reputation until recently. This rape is public. It makes everyone uncomfortable and brings up many complications. That’s why well-meaning people and organizations try to convince the (more reasonable or more vulnerable) victim to reconcile with the rapist or at least the rapist’s family that’s cheering from the sidelines while the rape is still taking place. Don’t you see how absurd that is?
The pain is too raw, and it is still being inflicted now. The more forgiveness and reconciliation are forced now, the more it will be resisted and the harder it will be achieved later. This forced reconciliation itself feels like abuse! Allow us to process this trauma, to feel this pain, to grieve our losses before we are expected to be “civil” again.
I have heard great stories of reconciliation, testimonies of people from enemy nations asking for forgiveness and seeking reconciliation on behalf of their nations. I weep when I hear such stories and hope it will be possible in Ukraine one day. But in order for it to happen, justice must be restored, and hearts must be broken in repentance so that nothing of this kind ever happens again.
Olha Kharlan may have lost her champion title, but she kept her dignity and brought the world’s attention once again to the fact that the war in Ukraine continues. While some try to whitewash it (coming up with excuses and loopholes to appease Russia), this is still the reality we are living in.
Voice of Ukraine 