Champions of terror

Russia uses sport as a tool of propaganda and to circumvent sanctions
Total number:
254
Individuals
Updated: 14.10.2026
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: 11
ZAYTSEVA Olga Alekseyevna
ZAYTSEVA Olga Alekseyevna
russian biathlete, two-time Olympic champion in the relay, three-time world champion, honored master of sports of russia, deputy of the Moscow city duma, 8th convocation, member of the United russia party, coordinator of the party’s "Children’s sports" project in Moscow, member of the Moscow city duma committee of urban planning, state property, and land use, member of the Moscow city duma committee of education, member of the Moscow city duma committee of sports and youth policy, head of the department at the State Budgetary Institution of Additional Education "Moscow academy of cross-country skiing and biathlon" of the Moscow department of sports
After retiring from her athletic career in 2015, she served as acting head coach of the russian women’s biathlon team until 2017.
In parallel with her athletic career, she served in the investigative agencies and law enforcement agencies of the russian federation and holds the military rank of major in the russian armed forces (retired).
During her service, she represented the "Dynamo" sports club, known for its affiliation with the russian ministry of internal affairs and state security agencies, and also competed for the Central Sports Club of the russian army (CSKA), which is subordinate to the russian ministry of defense, where she held the position of senior sports instructor.
She served as putin’s representative in the 2024 presidential election.
In February 2026, she visited the temporarily occupied city of Donetsk, where she met with the head of the parliament of the so-called DPR and the leader of the "Shakhterskaya diviziya" military group, Konstantin Kuzmin.
During her visit to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, Zaitseva also held propaganda meetings with students and teachers at the Olympic reserve school in Donetsk and in Novoazovsk.
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YARILOVETS Nikolay Romanovich
YARILOVETS Nikolay Romanovich
russian climber, two-time russian bouldering champion, master of sports of russia of international class
Participant in the 2023 Golden Hold international rock climbing tournament in Tel Aviv (Israel).
He competes for the Central sports club of the russian armed forces (CSKA), which is subordinate to the russian ministry of defense, and holds the military rank of senior sergeant in the russian armed forces.
CSKA provides ongoing active assistance to military personnel and veterans of the so-called special military operation by purchasing and delivering specialized equipment, FPV drones, generators, and humanitarian cargo to the front lines, conducts military-patriotic education for children and youth, organizes and holds sports and patriotic events, and promotes international cooperation, particularly within the framework of the World military games project.
Thus, CSKA athletes effectively represent the armed forces of the aggressor state at international competitions.
He has visited the temporarily occupied Crimea on multiple occasions, including to conduct a rock climbing master class for students of Sevastopol sports school № 7 in September 2025.
In March 2026, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (World Climbing) recognized Yarylovets and ten other russian climbers as neutral athletes. Commenting on the decision of the International Climbing Federation, Dmitry Bychkov, president of the russian climbing federation, stated his intention to seek admission to youth competitions and international-level paraclimbing competitions under the russian flag and with the russian national anthem.
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KRASOVSKAYA Elena Aleksandrovna
KRASOVSKAYA Elena Aleksandrovna
russian climbing athlete, world champion in bouldering among military personnel, world champion in the women's all-around, three-time russian champion in bouldering, two-time russian champion in the all-around, russian champion in the combined climbing, master of sports of russia of international class
A participant in the 2023 Golden Hold international rock climbing tournament in Tel Aviv (Israel).
She competes for the Central sports club of the russian armed forces (CSKA), which is subordinate to the russian ministry of defense, and holds the military rank of senior sergeant in the russian armed forces.
CSKA provides ongoing active assistance to military personnel and veterans of the so-called special military operation by purchasing and delivering specialized equipment, FPV drones, generators, and humanitarian cargo to the front lines, conducts military-patriotic education for children and youth, organizes and holds sports and patriotic events, and promotes international cooperation, particularly within the framework of the World military games project.
Thus, CSKA athletes effectively represent the armed forces of the aggressor state at international competitions.
In March 2026, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (World Climbing) recognized Krasovskaya and ten other russian climbers as neutral athletes. Commenting on the decision of the International Climbing Federation, Dmitry Bychkov, president of the russian climbing federation, stated his intention to seek admission to youth competitions and international-level paraclimbing competitions under the russian flag and with the russian national anthem.
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FAKIRIANOV Dmitry Vilyevich
FAKIRIANOV Dmitry Vilyevich
russian climber, European student bouldering champion, eight-time russian lead climbing champion, russian combined climbing champion, master of sports of russia
He plays for the Central sports club of the russian armed forces (CSKA), which is subordinate to the russian ministry of defense, and holds the military rank of ensign in the russian armed forces.
CSKA provides ongoing active assistance to military personnel and veterans of the so-called special military operation by purchasing and delivering specialized equipment, FPV drones, generators, and humanitarian cargo to the front lines, conducts military-patriotic education for children and youth, organizes and holds sports and patriotic events, and promotes international cooperation, particularly within the framework of the World military games project.
Thus, CSKA athletes effectively represent the armed forces of the aggressor state at international competitions.
He has repeatedly visited the temporarily occupied Crimea, including to participate in the "Crimean Rocks-2022" rock climbing festival in Bashtanovka, Bakhchysarai District.
In March 2026, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (World Climbing) recognized Fakiryanov and ten other russian climbers as neutral athletes. Commenting on the decision of the International Climbing Federation, Dmitry Bychkov, president of the russian climbing federation, stated his intention to seek admission to youth competitions and international-level paraclimbing competitions under the russian flag and with the russian national anthem.
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MESHKOVA Viktoria Vladislavovna
MESHKOVA Viktoria Vladislavovna
russian climbing athlete, three-time European champion in lead climbing, bouldering, and the combined event, seven-time russian champion in lead climbing, three-time russian champion in bouldering, russian champion in the combined climbing, master of sports of russia of international class
Participant in the 2023 Golden Hold international climbing tournament in Tel Aviv (Israel).
A serviceman in the sports company of the Central sports club of the russian armed forces (CSKA), which is subordinate to the russian ministry of defense, holding the military rank of ensign in the russian armed forces.
CSKA provides ongoing active assistance to military personnel and veterans of the so-called special military operation by purchasing and delivering specialized equipment, FPV drones, generators, and humanitarian cargo to the front lines, conducts military-patriotic education for children and youth, organizes and holds sports and patriotic events, and promotes international cooperation, particularly within the framework of the World military games project.
Thus, CSKA athletes effectively represent the armed forces of the aggressor state at international competitions.
She has repeatedly visited the temporarily occupied Crimea, including to participate in the "Crimean Rocks-2022" rock climbing festival in Bashtanovka, Bakhchysarai district.
In March 2026, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (World Climbing) recognized Meshkova and ten other russian climbers as neutral athletes. Commenting on the decision of the International Climbing Federation, Dmitry Bychkov, president of the russian climbing federation, stated his intention to seek admission to youth competitions and international-level paraclimbing competitions under the russian flag and with the russian national anthem.
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