Champions of terror

Russia uses sport as a tool of propaganda and to circumvent sanctions
Total number:
251
Individuals
Updated: 20.07.2026
The participation of russian athletes in international competitions is a means of whitewashing russia`s reputation (sportwashing), spreading disinformation, justifying and legitimizing aggression against Ukraine among foreign audiences and demonstrating russia`s continued presence in the civilized world
Russian officials in international sports committees and federations remain a russian lobby and an element of strategic influence outside russia, providing ways to establish international relations and cooperation bypassing sanctions
What needs to be done:
Sport should symbolize peace again
 
 
Total: 251
SHINKAR Vladislav Leonidovich
SHINKAR Vladislav Leonidovich
russian fencer
Member of the russian Paralympic wheelchair fencing team.
He is an ambassador for a joint project between the russian Paralympic committee and the all-russian public movement "Healthy Fatherland" called "Heroes of Our Time", which aims to assist participants in the so-called SMO who have become disabled in physical rehabilitation and social adaptation through paralympic sports, as well as to involve them in the sports movement.
He announced his intention, with the assistance of the russian Paralympic committee and the occupying authorities, to create a fencing club for veterans of the war against Ukraine in the temporarily occupied Donetsk.
A direct participant in the war against Ukraine with the call sign "Shyba". He was a machine gunner, deputy battalion commander for armament, and deputy battalion commander for personnel in the "Vostok" battalion 1st army corps, 12th reserve command, Southern military district of the russian armed forces.
Since 2014, he has participated in hostilities on the side of russia in Pisky, Donetsk region, and Saur-Mogila, Luhansk region, near the Avdiivka industrial zone, on the territory of Donetsk airport, and was a participant in the russian military operation to capture the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine around the city of Debaltseve.
For his participation in the war against Ukraine, he received awards from the "DPR" and "LPR".
He actively participates in ideological and propaganda work, spreads calls for the continuation of aggressive warfare, the killing of Ukrainian servicemen, and the destruction of Ukraine, calls russia's aggression against Ukraine the "third patriotic war", and threatens to conquer European countries. During public events, he glorifies war criminals who participated in the "SMO".
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BUSHMAKIN Anton Valerievich
BUSHMAKIN Anton Valerievich
russian rower, russian rowing champion among people with musculoskeletal disorders, senior specialist-expert of the military commissariat of Karasunsky and Central districts of Krasnodar, Krasnodar Krai, Southern military district
He is a member of the national kayaking and canoeing team for athletes with musculoskeletal disorders.
He is an ambassador for a joint project of the russian Paralympic committee and the all-russian public movement "Healthy Fatherland" called "Heroes of Our Time", which aims to assist participants in the so-called SMO who have become disabled through physical rehabilitation and social adaptation by means of Paralympic sports, as well as involving them in the sports movement.
He is the hero of the documentary film "Shagay", in which he announces his preparation for the Paralympics and his intention to participate in them under the russian flag.
He is a current direct participant in the war against Ukraine, a sapper and a former marine. He holds the military rank of second lieutenant in the russian armed forces.
He participated in the battles near Avdiivka in Donetsk region as an assistant grenadier in the 136th separate motorized rifle brigade (military unit 63354) of the 58th combined arms army of the Southern military district of the russian armed forces.
He was awarded the St. George's сross, 4th class.
He currently remains a military serviceman and continues to serve in the military commissariat of the Karasunsky and Central districts of Krasnodar.
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GENINOV Tsyden Bairovich
GENINOV Tsyden Bairovich
russian archer, two-time world champion in archery among military personnel, russian champion in archery among people with musculoskeletal disorders, candidate for master of sports of the russian federation
Nominee for the title of Best Athlete of 2025 according to the International Military Sports Council (CISM).
In 2024, he won the bronze medal at the International Military Sports Council World Archery Championships in Bangladesh. In 2025, he won two gold medals in the individual and team competitions in the "classic bow" discipline at the International Military Sports Council World Archery Championships in Tehran (Iran) as part of the russian armed forces team.
He is an ambassador for a joint project of the russian Paralympic committee and the all-russian public movement "Healthy Fatherland" called "Heroes of Our Time", which aims to assist participants in the so-called SMO who have become disabled in physical rehabilitation and social adaptation through Paralympic sports, as well as involving them in the sports movement.
A direct participant in the war against Ukraine, he holds the military rank of lieutenant in the russian armed forces. He served in the 5th separate guards tank Tatsinskaya red banner order of Suvorov brigade (military unit 46108) 36th army of the Eastern military district of the armed forces of the russian federation, which took part in the offensive on the Kyiv region. He was awarded the medal "For courage".
He currently continues to serve in the russian armed forces and holds the position of senior specialist-expert at the October military commissariat in Ulan-Ude.
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VASILYEV Rinat Rinatovich
VASILYEV Rinat Rinatovich
russian powerlifter, three-time moscow powerlifting champion, assistant head of the department for the study of psychological problems at the research center for military applied research at the military university
Member of the moscow paralympic powerlifting team.
He is an ambassador for the russian Paralympic committee's project "We Are Together. Sport" and a joint project of the russian Paralympic committee and the all-russian public movement "Healthy Fatherland" called "Heroes of Our Time", which aims to assist participants in the so-called SMO who have become disabled in physical rehabilitation and social adaptation through Paralympic sports, as well as involving them in the sports movement.
A direct participant in the war against Ukraine, holds the military rank of ensign. He was the commander of a motor vehicle platoon in the motor vehicle company of the 474th separate motor vehicle battalion (military unit 98592) of the 99th separate logistics brigade of the Southern military district of the russian armed forces. He took part in combat operations near Melitopol.
He was awarded the russian order of "courage" and the medal "For bravery" for his participation in the war.
Until December 2024, he continued to serve as the executive officer of the military commissariat of the united Golovinsky district of the Northern administrative district of Moscow.
He actively participates in russian propaganda, positioning himself on his own media resources as a "motivator" for amputee soldiers.
He has his own YouTube channel, through which he broadcasts military-related content, and also speaks at so-called paralympic lessons held for participants in russia's war against Ukraine.
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