Raising money for the Russian army: former world sumo champion Davydko faces 12 years in prison
14 March 2024 09:45
An indictment has been sent to court against Olga Davydko, a former Ukrainian athlete from Crimea and former world sumo champion. She is charged with siding with the aggressor, raising money for the Russian army and promoting propaganda narratives. This was reported by the Prosecutor General’s Office, Kommersant Ukrainian reports 
The accused is a former Ukrainian athlete and multiple European and world sumo champion who started competing in the Russian national team in 2016 but took a break from her career after Russian athletes were banned from international competitions.
The report does not mention her name, but the published photo shows the world heavyweight sumo champion Olga Davydko.
The investigation established that she organised and headed a volunteer movement in Crimea to support the occupying army. She held repeated fundraisers to purchase diesel generators, radios, thermal imagers and other resources for Russian military personnel, who, among other things, were engaged in hostilities against Ukraine in the city of Bakhmut.
As noted, the defendant’s actions are qualified as assistance to the aggressor state, she faces up to 12 years in prison.
“In order to influence the formation of the information space in Crimea, as a public figure, the accused repeatedly spoke in pro-Russian media, promoting propaganda narratives,”
– the statement reads.
The special pre-trial investigation was carried out by the SBU Main Directorate in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
What is known about Olga Davydko
Photo: investigator.org.ua
Olga Davydko is a native of Crimea. She became the first Ukrainian heavyweight sumo world champion. Davydko is also a European champion in sumo and belt wrestling, as well as a medallist at the World Judo and Sambo Championships.
For her success in her sporting career, she was awarded the title of Honoured Master of Sports of Ukraine and the Order of Courage, III degree.
In 2012, she took part in the reality TV show Zvazheni ta Shchastlivi (Weighed and Happy) on STB, after which she gave birth to two children and announced her retirement.
In August 2016, Davydko became a Russian citizen and announced that she was retiring from the Ukrainian national sumo team. In 2016, she began competing for the Russian national team and is now the vice-president of the Sumo Federation of the Republic of Crimea.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and restrictions on Russians in international sports, Davydko opened a fund to support the Russian army, collecting food, clothing, thermal imagers, drones, camouflage nets and medicines for the occupiers. on 17 November 2023, Olga Davydko was notified of being suspected of aiding the occupiers.
