“Master of Sports”
Ukrainian fencer Boreyko dies in combat
7/17/2023 7:18 am
Shortly after the Russian invasion began in spring 2022, Denys Boreyko joined the Ukrainian armed forces. Now the fencer has died during an operation. On Facebook, his club says goodbye to the athlete.
Ukrainian fencer Denys Boreyko has been killed in combat during Russia’s war of aggression. The 34-year-old is according to his Club Liberte Dnipro died on July 3rd and was buried ten days later. Boreyko has been a member of the national team of Ukraine throughout his sporting career and has also worked as a coach, his club said on Facebook.
Advisor to Ukraine’s Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko wrote on Twitter about the deceased “world champion and European champion at juniors and master of sports of international level”: “From the first days of the major Russian invasion in February, Denys supported the Ukrainian military and territorial defense of Dnipro and voluntarily joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces in March 2022.”
In response to the Russian war of aggression, the European Fencing Federation (EFC) suspended the member federations of Russia and Belarus at the end of June. Since then, fencers and officials from these countries are no longer allowed to take part in events and tournaments of the continental federation.
The international fencing federation FIE decided in March that Russian and Belarusian fencers could take part in international competitions as neutral athletes. Last week it was confirmed that Ukraine will boycott the individual competitions at the World Championships in Milan from July 22-25. Russians and Belarusians are not allowed to take part in the team competitions. Ukraine’s Sports Minister and President of the National Olympic Committee, Vadym Hutzait, said in April that 262 Ukrainian athletes have been killed in the war so far.