Dispute over Russian symbols in Vietnam sparks Lithuanian boycott debate

A dispute over Russian national symbols nearly disrupted the World Pickleball Cup in Da Nang, Vietnam, after Ukrainian and Lithuanian delegations objected to how Russian athletes would be presented.

Ukraine warned that its delegation would not compete if Russian players were allowed to start under their country’s flag. Lithuanian representatives were also prepared to withdraw, according to Augustinas Deksnys, a member of Lithuania’s delegation, who described the dispute on Facebook.

Deksnys said Vietnamese authorities sought at a formal reception on the eve of the tournament to have Russian athletes competing under neutral status introduced with Russia’s country name and symbols. “Discussions and disputes continued almost all night before the championship began,” he wrote. After sharp exchanges with Ukrainian and Lithuanian representatives, tournament organizers rejected the hosts’ request. The organizers had even threatened to cancel the competition altogether, he said.

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Discussions and disputes continued almost all night before the championship began.

“Everything was resolved correctly, although there was a lot of anxiety and doubt,” Deksnys added. Russian athletes retained their neutral status, and the Lithuanian teams continued competing.

Lithuania’s Ministry of Education, Science and Sport had issued a recommendation on Sept. 3 against boycotting competitions held abroad. It said withdrawal could lead to sanctions, cost athletes opportunities they had pursued for years and make it easier for Russian and Belarusian representatives to win. The ministry also condemned any easing of restrictions on athletes from those countries and repeated its position that they should not compete internationally while the war continues.

Lithuania fielded three teams in Vietnam, in the Open, 50-plus and 60-plus categories. All three passed the group stage, Deksnys said, but ended their campaigns in the knockout rounds. The Open team lost 3-1 to England, the 50-plus team fell 3-0 to Spain, and the 60-plus team lost to Singapore.

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Everything was resolved correctly, although there was a lot of anxiety and doubt.