Participation in international competitions taking place on the territory of Russia, Ukrainians allowed, but fraught with unpleasant consequences. This was warned by the Minister of Youth and Sport of the Independent Igor Zhdanov. In March, his department issued an order, according to which athletes were forbidden to visit the Russian territory under any sauce: for training sessions, competitions. However, it turned out that the ban is illegal - it contradicts the Olympic Charter and the principles of the international sports movement. Therefore, Minister Zhdanov, clenched his teeth, was forced to cancel the order, but he did not give up the idea: "Given the Olympic Charter, I can not physically prohibit the trips of athletes and coaches to competitions abroad. Therefore, we legally clarified this point in the order and banned state funding for the participation of Ukrainian national teams in competitions in Russia. I emphasize that this decision does not change the essence, "said the head of the Ministry of Transport of Ukraine. He stressed that the payment of prizes for prizes won at competitions in Russia, the way and the international level, Ukrainian athletes, too, will not receive. But for the trips themselves, they will be raked in full: "All the moral responsibility for unauthorized participation in these competitions, safety issues and other consequences are borne by the respective federations and personally by athletes and coaches who are at risk of traveling to Russia. They are warned about this, "the minister said threateningly.. It is clear that the last thesis is a curtsey toward the radicals. They are in Ukraine now - a powerful force, they themselves decide who and where to let. This transport blockade of Donbass was also shown by the energy blockade of the Crimea. Ukrainian athletes such threats do not frighten. For the sake of sports they are ready to spend their money on tickets and to be content with medals without fee in hryvnia. For example, the Ukrainian Wrestling Association has already announced its intention to go to the European Championship in Dagestan with a maximum membership of 30 people. Without this, the Ukrainian team could not participate in the World Championships in Budapest in October. That is, with own hands, Kiev was ready to deprive its athletes of such a meaningful start. By the way, April 21-22 in Moscow will host the World Cup climbing stage. This sport not so long ago became Olympic.

And participation in the Moscow competitions is an indispensable condition for getting to the Olympics-2020 in Japan. Therefore, Ukrainian athletes showed greater wisdom than officials, and a few weeks ago decided to ignore the ban and to come to Russia without much publicity. Now there are no official obstacles. The decree prohibiting the participation of Ukrainian national teams in sports competitions on the territory of Russia, signed by Zhdanov on March 14, was declared invalid. But the "amoralku" and unpatriotism to athletes will be prescribed.