Russian wrestlers turn down invitations to compete at Paris Olympics — source

Sports July 06, 17:09

A total of 16 wrestlers qualified for the Olympic tournament

MOSCOW, July 6. /TASS/. All Russian wrestlers, who received invitations from the International Olympic Committee to compete at the Paris Games, rejected them, a source in the Russian Wrestling Federation told TASS.

It was a joint decision by the executive committee of the organization, the coaching staff and the athletes that received the invitations.

A total of 16 wrestlers qualified for the Olympic tournament. But the IOC didn’t invite six of them, including two-time Olympic gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev and Tokyo Olympics winners Zaur Uguev, Zaurbek Sidakov, and Musa Yevloev.

Invitations were sent to Nachyn Mongush, Shamil Mamedov, Arslan Bagaev, Abdulla Kurbanov, Alan Ostaev, Magomed Murtazaliev, Natalia Malysheva, Alina Kasabieva and Elizaveta Petlyakova and Veronika Chumikova.

Chumikova had declined the offer last month.

The Olympic Games will take place from July 26 to August 11. Russian and Belarusian athletes continue to be subject to restrictions. In Paris, they will be able to perform only as neutrals, meaning they will be forbidden from displaying any connection with their home countries and taking part in team competitions. Russia regards the IOC policy as discriminatory and running counter to Olympic principles.

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