"We consider Russia an aggressor". On the boycott of the tournament, which was held in Sochi, said the president of the Ukrainian Federation Sergei Levchuk.

"It was a difficult decision for the athletes that we boycott the European Championships. Today, to say that sport is outside politics, a war outside politics, to put it mildly, is not entirely correct. I very much want everyone to think about what is happening with Ukraine, that we are at war. Some people say: this is not a war, sport is a sport, and politics is quite another. We, at least, are honest with ourselves, we consider Russia an aggressor country and we can not share our sporting position from the political and civil ones, "Levchuk quoted Ukrinform.

The president of the Ukrainian Karate Federation stressed that this decision was made a few months ago.

"This decision was made in November last year during the Ukrainian Championship in Chernivtsi. This was preceded by a long and complex dialogue within the federation. At stake were two components: one sports, and the second is not just political, but human, moral, "- said Levchuk.