European swimming champion from Ukraine refuses to pose with Russian athlete

Ukrainian swimmer Nikita Sheremet, the newly crowned European champion in the 50m freestyle, refused to participate in a joint photograph with a neutral athlete during the awards ceremony in Paris. Sheremet secured the gold medal with a time of 21.13 seconds, narrowly beating neutral athlete Yegor Kornev and Serbia's Andrej Barna, who tied for silver.

The incident occurred after Sheremet accepted his award. He declined to pose for a group picture alongside Kornev, highlighting the ongoing tensions and political climate surrounding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sports. These athletes are permitted to compete under a neutral status, without their national flags or anthems.

This victory marks the sole medal for Ukraine at the championships. The decision by Sheremet underscores the Ukrainian stance against the participation of athletes from aggressor nations in international competitions, even under a neutral banner.

Meanwhile, Lithuania also secured two medals at the event. Rūta Meilutytė won gold in the women's 50m breaststroke, and Tomas Navikonis claimed silver in the men's 200m freestyle.