Ukraine’s foreign minister reminds IOC Russia killed mother of European athletics medalist in Kharkiv

Kuleba wrote about this on Twitter. 

According to him, Kateryna Tabashnyk dedicated her bronze medal in the high jump at the European Indoor Championships to her mother, who died in August 2022 as a result of a Russian missile strike on Kharkiv. 

"Kateryna Tabashnyk dedicated her bronze medal to her mother, who was murdered by a Russian strike in Kharkiv. "This medal carries all my pain and sorrow," she stated. Russia has tainted all Ukrainian medals with blood. This is why Russians must be banned from any sporting events," Kuleba wrote. 

After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee banned athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in international competitions. However, in January 2023, IOC President Thomas Bach called for their participation in the 2024 Olympics in Paris under a neutral flag. To do this, Russians and Belarusians were allowed to attend the Asian Games, where they will be able to obtain Olympic licenses.