22-year-old Ukrainian boxer Maksym Galinichev has been killed while serving in the war against Russia. Galinichev, a silver medallist at the Summer Youth Olympic Games had been serving in the Luhansk region wherein he got killed. The Boxer had been serving for Ukraine’s 25th Sycheslav Airborne Brigade.
As per reports, he had been fighting the war since May 2022 and had refused to take part in the Men’s European Boxing Championships in Armenia last year to stay focused on helping his nation win the war against Russia.
Ukraine’s skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych had taken to social media to share a heartfelt message about Galinichev after the latter passed away.
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The deceased had won a silver medal at the Buenos Aires 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games, competing in the under-56 kilogram category. Later that year, Galinichev also claimed a gold medal at the European Youth Boxing Championships, before he would on to compete at senior events internationally.
On March 10, silver medalist of the 2018 Youth Olympics Maksym Galinichev laid down his life for independent Ukraine????️In the spring of 2022, Maksym refused to participate in the European Boxing Championship and volunteered for the airborne assault troops.
Glory to Hero ???? pic.twitter.com/xQQszWa0tG
— Vladyslav Heraskevych OLY (@heraskevych) March 22, 2023
Ever since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year, many Ukrainian athletes have laid down their lives during the war.
During the Women’s World Championships being held in Delhi, the Boxing Federation of Ukraine had refused to send their athletes because of the participation of Russian and Belarusian boxers at the World Championships.
Earlier, vice-president of the Ukrainian boxing federation Oleg Ilchenko had told a local news website Suspilne Sport that their boxers would not compete on the same stage with athletes from “aggressor countries”.
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Boxers from Russia and Ukraine were not allowed to compete under their own owing to the war however, the International Boxing Association, led by Russian official Umar Kremlev had lifted the ban, contrary to International Olympic Committee’s recommendations.
???????? Ukrainian European boxing champion Maksym Galinichev has died in battle defending freedom and Ukraine.‼️ This is yet another clear reason why Russian athletes MUST be banned from the 2024 Paris Olympics – our athletes are being killed on the frontline.#UkraineFrontLines pic.twitter.com/UhsT9CAytW
— Ukraine War Now ✙ (@uarealitynow) March 26, 2023
While Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned across multiple sports due to the war, the International Olympic Committee is reportedly considering re-admitting them as players competing under a neutral flag.
The move has seen a huge backlash in Ukraine and the National Olympic Committee of the nation has also threatened to boycott the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic games if Russian and Belarusian athletes would be allowed.
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