- Category
- World
15 Russian and Belarusian Karate Athletes Try to Sneak Into World Championships—Poland Kicks Them Out
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Polish authorities detained 15 Russian and Belarusian karate athletes who arrived for the World Championships using tourist visas instead of the required documentation, ordering them to leave the country within eight days.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
According to The Insider on October 20, citing Polish outlet Bielsko.Biala, the group included four Russians and 11 Belarusians who traveled to Bielsko-Biała for the 14th World Cadet, Junior and U21 Karate Championships, held from October 14 to 18.
The athletes entered Poland on regular Schengen tourist visas despite restrictions on participation in sporting events. Polish authorities determined that their documentation did not correspond to the stated purpose of their visit.
Paweł Połtorzecki, president of the Polish Karate Union, said organizers had received advance information that Russian and Belarusian athletes might attempt to participate in the tournament despite existing restrictions.
Tournament officials alerted the Polish Border Guard, which inspected the athletes and subsequently issued orders requiring all 15 to leave Poland within eight days.
The incident highlights the difference between international sporting regulations and Poland’s national entry restrictions.
The World Karate Federation (WKF) initially suspended Russian and Belarusian athletes in March 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The federation has since relaxed some restrictions, allowing eligible athletes to compete under neutral designations.
However, Poland continues to restrict entry by Russian nationals for sporting purposes, while Belarusian citizens face separate entry requirements.
Some Belarusian competitors were authorized to participate under the neutral WKF-2 designation, including Ivan Kudinov, who won gold in the men’s under-21 over-84 kg category.
On October 15, the Russian Karate Federation confirmed that Polish authorities had refused to allow Russian athletes to compete at the championships despite their eligibility under WKF rules.
The incident follows a similar decision in the Netherlands, where authorities denied visas to three Russian gymnasts, including two Olympic champions, preventing them from competing at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam. Two of the athletes had previously publicly supported Vladimir Putin and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Discuss this article:
-8316a51e7339d28e1b71bbd4bfdc46ab.jpg "USS Charleston (LCS 18) in the Pacific on May 11, 2021.")
-899d44352237f3ef88d6d4ee49b73d4e.jpg "The sanctioned heavy-lift vessel Ya Qing Hai Yang, formerly known as Ocean 28, which previously transported equipment for Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project. (Source: Open source)")
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
-b2491a86fb35e63ec9daf8fd701bba87.jpg "An illustrative image of Russia’s A-235 Nudol missile system undergoing testing before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. (Source: Defense Express)")
