Ukrainian biathlete Yevhen Maylshev, 19, dies in battle

By Edward Era Barbacena

A 19-year old Ukrainian biathlete was killed in combat fighting off invading Russian forces, sports organizations said Wednesday.

Yevhen Maylshev was killed Tuesday after taking up arms to defend his homeland against the Russian invasion, the Athletes of Ukraine and Global Athlete said in a joint statement.

Maylshev once competed on the national team of Ukraine and the Kharkiv junior team before ending his career in 2020, the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation told Spanish news site Marca.

Joint statement from Ukrainian Athletes and Global Athlete in reaction to the #IPC's decision to allow Russia and Belarus to compete at the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Games.

“How many more lives need to be lost before sports implements meaningful sanctions?” the Athletes of Ukraine and Global Athlete said in their statement.

The groups slammed the International Paralympics Committee’s decision to still allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag, saying the punishment didn’t go far enough.

“We express our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. Eternal memory,” the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation said.

Maylshev was one of many Ukrainian athletes who have joined the fight to protect their homeland.

Ukrainian tennis star Sergiy Stakhovsky said Tuesday he left his family in Hungary to join the army.