Matvii Bidnyi said Ukraine would use available legal, political and diplomatic tools. He called for a new selection process and is preparing approaches to the International Weightlifting Federation and the International Olympic Committee.
In a separate interview with Suspilne Sport, national team coach Dmytro Sukhotskyi discussed consultations with lawyers and concerns about athletes’ safety. These steps remain preparatory: the sources consulted do not establish that a court appeal has been filed or that the hosting decision has been overturned.
The IWF announcement, made the previous day according to AFP, follows the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the federation’s competitions. Kyiv challenges the political and security implications of that development.