In a first since the invasion of Ukraine, GLORY Kickboxing has decided to terminate the contracts of all its Russian athletes including that of Light Heavyweight Champion Artem Vakhitov. While owners and promoters with ties to the Kremlin have previously been placed under sanctions, this is a first wherein the athlete took the brunt of the blame.
Combat sports in general have tried to distance themselves from having to sanction their Russian Athletes as many top superstars and prospects come from the region. However GLORY being a mostly euro-centric organization has faced more criticism than most combat organizations that run mainly in the Americas including the UFC and Bellator.
Artem Vakhitov Stripped of GLORY LHW Title, Luis Tavares and Sergej Maslobojev set to fight for the vacant title
However it is not due to external pressure that the organization has decided to take these steps but the trouble caused in every step of making the fight. This includes payment issues, visa and travel issues and a general lack of fighters ready to accept bouts against Russians. In a statement put out by the league, they thanked their athletes for their performances.
The statement read, ” The organization has encountered a variety of obstacles that have made it impossible to arrange bouts for it’s Russian athletes, barriers like travel bans, safety concerns and payment blockages in an environment of worldwide sanctions against Russia and unwilling opponents” announcing the release of current Light Heavyweight Champion Artem Vakhitov along with every other Russian athlete signed under the organization.
“We respect their careers and commitment to the sport and we have gone to enormous lengths to try and make various bouts happen for them, but the real-world challenges are insurmountable in today’s environment,” Said the company Executive Vice Chairman Scott Rudmann in a statement by GLORY.
The development will also mean that Vakhitov will have to vacate his light heavyweight title. A fight for the vacant title has already been announced at at GLORY 81 in Düsseldorf, Germany between Luis Tavares and Sergej Maslobojev on August, 20th
It is unclear if any other kickboxing/combat sports organization will follow their lead. With the war in Ukraine having no end in sight, do you think there comes a time when promoting Russian athletes under their banner is just not worth the hassle anymore for big organizations like the UFC and Bellator.
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