Georgian swimmer refuses to compete in Russian World Championships in protest

A Guinness world record holder and internationally recognised Georgian swimmer is refusing to participate in the 2016 Winter Swimming World Championships after facing visa issues by host country Russia.

The Russian city of Tyumen will host the competition next March. The event will be held for the 10th time and the first time in Russia.

Georgian swimmer Henri Kuprashvili – who was the first Georgian to ever participate in the Winter Swimming World Championships in Finland in 2014 – registered for the upcoming competition but was told he must follow special visa regulations to travel to Russia since he was a Georgian citizen.

Kuprashvili, 69, told Agenda.ge he was contacted by the Russian Organising Committee, who told him in order to gain a Russian visa and be allowed to participate in the World Championship he would need a special invitation from either Russia’s Foreign Ministry or a "close relative” living in Russia. The Committee promised it would help Kuprashvili but he did not think this was fair.

While it was normal for Georgian citizens to need to be invited to enter Russia, Kuprashvili believed his visa should be passed easily as he was attending an international sporting competition and not going for private or personal reasons.

"It is extremely difficult to travel to the country which occupies 20 percent of my country, and now it seems like I have to beg them to let me in,” Kuprahsvili told Agenda.ge.

"It’s sad that Russian politicians cannot differentiate between sports and politics. It is such disrespect to the World Championship and sports in general.”

"Why should the World Championship be held in the country where we face an obvious discrimination towards sportsmen?”

On another note, at last year’s Winter Swimming World Championship in Finland Kuprashvili and two other Georgians saved the life of a Russian participant who got into difficulty in the frozen water and was unable to grab attention of emergency officials. The next day the same Russian athlete won silver and bronze medals in the competition.

"In that critical moment when a person needed help I did not think about her nationality or about politics,” said Kuprashvili, adding he was obviously disappointed with the event organisers attitude towards his visa application.

"As a sportsman I should not need to search for some ‘close relatives’ in Russia or a special invitation from the Russian Foreign Ministry. This is a World Championship not a domestic competition of Russia,” the swimmer said.

Meanwhile, staying out of the upcoming competition meant Kuprashvili will have a four-year pause between competitions; the race is held every two years and the next championship will be held in 2018.

"A four-year pause is a big deal for an athlete as old as me,” said Kuprashvili.

The pensioner apologised to his trainers and sponsors who planned to financially support Kuprashvili’s participation in the world championship for "this disappointment”.

In 2002 Kuprashvili became the first person to swim across the Dardanelles with his hands and legs bound at four points, like a human dolphin. His record has never been attempted by other swimmers.

With his hands and legs bound to his torso Kuprashvili swam 12 kilometres in three hours and 15 minutes from Europe to Asia.