The Finnish Fencing and Pentathlon Federation (SM5L) announced that the Kupittaa Tournament, an FIE satellite event held annually in the country, which was scheduled to be held on September 23 and 24, would not be held this year. 

They have joined Germany and Sweden in cancelling events following the controversial decision by the FIE earlier this month to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to international competition. 

The Fencing Federation of Ukraine said today following a meeting of its Presidium that it would boycott any tournaments where Russian and Belarusian fencers were able to compete.

"It was decided not only not to go to duels at competitions of any level with directly Russian and Belarusian athletes, but also for our athletes, coaches and judges not to participate in competitions in which Russian or Belarusian athletes with active involvement will participate," the Fencing Federation of Ukraine said in a statement, as reported by Tribuna.

A women's foil FIE World Cup in Tauberbischofsheim, where International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach grew up, was the first to be cancelled because of issues with Russian nationals obtaining visas to enter Germany.

Then the Swedish Fencing Federation pulled out of hosting the SAF-Pokalen and Rehbinder Prize, claiming its reason is in direct protest at the FIE's decision.

Poland is also expected to shortly cancel a World Cup event in Poznań, scheduled for April 21 to 23, the first competition at which the FIE Extraordinary Congress' ruling comes into force.

"SM5L condemns the decision and considers that Russian and Belarusian athletes can return to international competition only when the illegal and cruel war of aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine has ended," its chairman Joonas Lyytinen said.

"Since, under the prevailing circumstances, SM5L could not prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the competition organised together with Turku miekkailijat ry, the Federation had no other option but to cancel the competition's satellite MC status from 2023.

"The association is investigating the possibility of organising a competition without satellite MC status and is having discussions with Sweden and Norway about organising the traditional Nordic Challenge competition series this year as well."

The event was not a qualifying tournament for next year's Olympic Games in Paris, which Bach is controversially trying to engineer a pathway so that athletes from Russia and Belarus can compete in.

Finland and Russia had strong ties prior to the invasion, as the Finnish imported fuel and electrical supplies from Russia.

Russia stopped the supply and placed Finland in the list of unfriendly European nations after the sanctions that the latter took in solidarity with Ukraine.