MOSCOW, September 26. /TASS/. Russian athletes will miss the World Armwrestling Championships starting on September 30 in Greece due to their refusal to compete under a neutral flag, Alexander Filimonov, the president of the Russian Armwrestling Federation, has told TASS.
"We were probably the first Russian federation to have refused to perform at an international competition as neutral athletes," Filimonov said, when asked if the Russian team was going to the world championships in Greece. "The international federation understands and accepts our position. Together we are waiting for the IOC to change its mind."
Earlier, the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) decided to allow Russians to compete at international competitions with neutral status.
The World Armwrestling Championships will be held in Loutraki, Greece, from September 30 to October 6.