Pavlo Kotov will not compete at the World Canoe Slalom Championships due to non-compliance with the neutrality criteria established by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). The athlete of the Russian national team did not make it to the roster for the tournament in Penrith, Australia.
ICF Secretary General Richard Petit noted that the received information will be submitted for consideration to the appropriate commission. Details regarding the athlete's suspension from participation are not disclosed, but it is expected that this is related to neutrality issues.
“Thank you for your information, we will forward it to our AIN (Athletes in Neutrality - 'Glavkom') committee for consideration” - Petit confirmed.
The reasons for Kotov's suspension from the competitions remain outside of official explanation, which may be related to the avoidance of public statements by international sports organizations regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
The athlete is not allowed to participate in the World Canoe Slalom Championships due to violations of neutrality criteria, and this situation remains outside of the official explanation from the organizers. Most likely, this is related to issues of political neutrality in sports and avoids public comments regarding the war in Ukraine.