Fencer Bida, put on the wanted list in the Russian Federation, plans to compete for the United States

Russian fencers Konstantin Lokhanov and Sergei Bida plan to become US citizens in order to represent the country at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, reported USA Today. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the United States Fencing Association (USFA) wrote letters of support for the Russians.

Lawyer Jack Wiener, who represents the fencers, said that together with lawyers, he has already approached senators with a request to obtain American citizenship. According to him, in order to obtain citizenship before the start of the Olympic Games, the Senate and House of Representatives must pass a bill on their citizenship, and US President Joe Biden must subsequently sign this document.

Mr. Wiener also said that the Russians submitted all the necessary documents to participate in competitions organized by the USFA. In particular, they signed an agreement in which they opposed Russia’s military operation on the territory of Ukraine.

The 2024 Olympic Games will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11. USFA CEO Phil Andrews told USA Today that in order to participate in the Games, Russian fencers must not only obtain American citizenship, but also qualify.

USA Today notes that Sergei Bida’s wife, fencer Violetta Bida, also applied for American citizenship. She does not plan to participate in any competitions, since she is six months pregnant. Currently, the couple teaches at a fencing club.

At the end of 2023, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs put the spouses Sergei and Violetta Bida on the wanted list. This year they left for the USA. Before leaving, Sergei Bida was listed in the Russian Guard and Dynamo, and Violetta Bida was on the list of military personnel of the Ministry of Defense in CSKA. Sergei Bida’s mother statedthat her son wanted to resign from the Russian Guard, but he was denied this. State Duma Deputy Alexander Khinshtein wrotethat the spouses deliberately fled Russia and a case was initiated against them under Art. 337 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (unauthorized abandonment of a part). According to him, both fencers were active servicemen of the Russian Guard.