Poland's request for Russians to condemn the invasion of Ukraine by their country has been labelled as being against free speech ©PSZ

A plan to make Russian competitors who want to compete in an International Fencing Federation (FIE) World Cup in Poland later this month sign a declaration condemning the war in Ukraine has been slammed as "pure provocation."

The Polish Fencing Association (PZS) has announced that Russians who plan to take part in the FIE Women's Foil World Cup in Poznań between April 21 and 23 must adhere to the request.

"Players and support staff holding a Russian or Belarusian passport will be required to submit a written statement in which they declare that they do not support the war in Ukraine, which is a flagrant violation of international law and international treaties," the PZS said in a statement on its website.

The PZS also warned that Russian fencers must "meet the conditions of neutrality" and are "not associated with the regime of Vladimir Putin, against whom the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant as a person suspected of committing war crimes in Ukraine."

Russian fencers connected to the military or national security forces would be ruled out of competing in the FIE Women's Foil World Cup in Poznań ©Getty Images
Russian fencers connected to the military or national security forces would be ruled out of competing in the FIE Women's Foil World Cup in Poznań ©Getty Images

The PZS then said any fencers hoping to take part must not be "soldiers" or "employed in Russian or Belarusian military or national security bodies."

Russian Fencing Federation (FFR) President Ilgar Mammadov had already admitted yesterday that all of the country's leading fencers are linked to law enforcement agencies.

"This release is the arbitrariness of the Polish Fencing Federation," Mammadov told Russia’s official state news agency TASS.

"In Europe they are trumpeting about human rights and freedom of speech, but where is it here?

"To speak against your country is freedom of speech?

"All this is a pure provocation, because they don't want to see us, that's why they come up with such provocative conditions."

Russian Fencing Federation President Ilgar Mammadov has written to the FIE to complain about conditions laid down by Poland to compete at a World Cup event later this month ©Getty Images
Russian Fencing Federation President Ilgar Mammadov has written to the FIE to complain about conditions laid down by Poland to compete at a World Cup event later this month ©Getty Images

Mammadov, an Olympic gold medallist in the team foil event at Seoul 1988, revealed they have already appealed to the FIE about the PZS conditions.

"Five days ago, we sent a letter about our admission to the International Fencing Federation," he told TASS.

"The decision is up to them.

"Articles and comments from the International Olympic Committee - all this is understandable, but it is the FIE that gives admission to the starts."

Several countries, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany and Sweden, have cancelled international fencing events following the FIE’s controversial decision last month to allow fencers from Russia and Belarus to compete under a neutral flag.