With a full return to the international arena, Russian kickboxing will have to postpone – our athletes were going to perform at the European Championship in Moldova with the flag and anthem, but the organizers decided on meanness and at the last moment left Russia overboard the tournament. Such antics in the last few years got away with some, but this time the organizers paid for Russophobia.

The European Championship in Moldova was canceled.

“Ready for honest competition”

In April 2025, it became known that the World Kikboxing Federation (WKF) allowed Russian athletes to compete under the flag of the country. In today’s times, this is a great victory for our sport, not so many international federations decided on this. It remained to wait for the nearest major tournament to enjoy the successes under the tricolor and hear the anthem in honor of this. Such a tournament could become the European Championship, which was supposed to be held in Moldova.

-For us, this event is important for several reasons: firstly, finally, our team has the opportunity to demonstrate their skills at the international level and, most importantly, to do this using the state symbols of the Russian Federation-flag, coat of arms and anthem; Secondly, this is a good opportunity to show our true person to the Western community through the sport and demonstrate that Russian athletes, like the people as a whole, are ready for honest competition on equal terms, ”the President of the Russian Khasikov press service quoted the President of the FKR Khasikov federation.

But the cowardly Moldovan organizers decided to refuse the Russians to fight for the medals of the European Championship before the very start of the tournament. The whole Ministry of Education and Research of this country was thrown to the front line of the fight against Russian sports. In a press release, local officials tried to cover a politicized decision with some general words about the values ​​of democracy and for some reason to spy European integration. There was little logic in this, but it seemed to help the victorious return of Russia.

Kikbokserers of the Russian national team / Photo: © Sotzeta Batu Khasikova

Bold decision

Having got rid of Russia, Moldova managed to get rid of the European Championship. Local politicians did not limit themselves to attacks on our athletes and decided to blame WKF for the company. It is unclear what was the calculation in such layouts, but the federation eventually decided to cancel the tournament.

“The European Championship was canceled, only the competitions of juniors will be held, but this will no longer be the status of the European Championship,” said the General Secretary of the Kikboxing Russian Federation Vladimir Filatov “Match TV”.

The WKF decision is respectful, and I would very much like to see such a courage in the actions of other international sports federations. State Duma deputy and Olympic champion Svetlana Zhurova believes that the situation in kickboxing will be a great example for others.

– In the story of the European Championship in Moldova, the International Federation proved itself a well done, harshly responded to the removal of Russians and canceled the tournament. This is a good precedent for everyone else who is also trying to do with our athletes, ”said Zhurova Match TV.