Ukrainian para team transfer home through Poland

Ten athletes and five management staff from Ukraine attended last week’s World Archery Para Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Their travel home was cancelled due to the current crisis. Many members of the team are based in the western city of Lviv and wished to return despite the lack of commercial flights.

Poland’s archery federation and sports ministry, and the organisers in Dubai, offered their help.

World Archery booked the Ukrainian para archery squad on flights to the Polish capital of Warsaw, where accommodation was arranged by the national federation and sports authorities, alongside onward bus transport for those returning home to Lviv. 

The team has now arrived in Poland.

World Archery will continue to provide support wherever possible.

World Archery was founded in the city of Lviv, which was then called Lwow and part of Poland, in 1931.

The international federation issued a statement condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine last Thursday and followed up with its first set of sanctions against Russia and Belarus on Saturday when it prohibited the display of flags or playing of anthems of either country at events, as well as forbidding them from hosting international tournaments.

The International Olympic Committee has since released further recommendations to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from events.

These additional sanctions are currently being voted on by the World Archery executive board, with an announcement expected soon.

Photo courtesy Polish Sports Ministry.