Russian authorities announced the holding of the first boxing tournament in ten years in Aqyar (Sevastopol), thus promoting their narrative. This was reported in Boris Babin’s commentary to Crimea.Realities.
The event was attended by athletes from Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Iran. Borys Babin noted that in this way Russia traditionally tries to promote the Crimean issue in its sports agenda, including at the “Olympic level.”
According to him, for a long time this was not particularly hampered by the position of the International Olympic Committee and global sports federations, but since the spring of 2022, almost all international sports took a fairly united position condemning Russian aggression and thus could no longer turn a blind eye to the Crimean sports provocations of the occupiers.
However, Russian authorities continue to include Crimean athletes in national teams to participate in international competitions, defying the EU ban on issuing visas to holders of Russian passports obtained in the occupied Crimea.