Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan says rules have to change following her disqualification for refusing to shake hands with Russian Anna Smirnova at the world championships in Milan on Thursday.

Kharlan, a four-time Olympic medalist and world champion, won the individual sabre bout 15-7 then refused to shake hands with Smirnova, instead offering her sabre to tap blades.

Smirnova remained on the piste for over half an hour after the incident, speaking with a number of officials before leaving. In fencing's rules, shaking an opponent's hand is mandatory and failure to do so results in a "black card" and a disqualification.

Kharlan told Reuters that she stood by her decision not to shake hands with Smirnova and acknowledged the support she has received over her refusal.

"Everything that was going on, I think is a huge message for the people," Kharlan said Friday. "... You have to understand we still have war, and during this war ... we just can't ... do handshakes, and you have to change, and you have to have some respect for us."

Kharlan said she would never choose to shake hands with her Russian opponent.

"I'm sorry, but there is something bigger than Olympic Games or license or fencing, and finally I understood that, there is something more," she said. "The support for the Ukrainian people, it's incredible."

The fencer had also addressed the issue in an Instagram video Thursday, referring to it as a "very important day."

"I did not want to shake hands with this athlete, and I acted with my heart," Kharlan said. "So when I heard that they wanted to disqualify me, it killed me so much that I was screaming in pain.

"I think I understand, like everyone else in this world, in a sane world, that the rules have to change because the world is changing."

Tennis player Elina Svitolina and soccer clubs such as Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk have been among the figures expressing their solidarity on social media for the 32-year-old fencer.

Ukrainian athletes in other sports, including Svitolina and fellow tennis player Marta Kostyuk, have also refused to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents following Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began last year.

The International Olympic Committee said Friday that international federations should handle situations involving Ukrainian and neutral athletes with sensitivity.

"We are aware of the difficult inner conflicts they may have, given the aggression against their country," the IOC said. "Therefore, we encourage international federations to handle situations involving Ukrainian and individual neutral athletes with the necessary degree of sensitivity."

Mykhailo Illiashev, president of Ukraine's fencing federation, said in televised comments Thursday that the federation is appealing the ruling against Kharlan.

"We fully support Olga Kharlan in this situation. We are preparing a protest," Mykhailo Illiashev, president of Ukraine's fencing federation, said in televised comments. "We will appeal this decision, because the referee who judged this match did not give directly a black card or disqualify her.

"It was only later that the underhanded games began and this disqualification appeared already after the next opponent was determined, already after a judge for the next competition was determined."

Ukrainian Sports Minister Vadym Huttsait described the incident as "an obvious provocation from the Russian side."

Huttsait, a gold medalist in team sabre at the 1992 Barcelona Games, said at a news conference that Smirnova "approached [Kharlan], provoked her, holding her hand up for a long time and waiting."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, writing on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, said Smirnova "lost the fair competition and decided to play dirty with the handshake show. This is exactly how Russian army acts on the battlefield."

Illiashev said the NFFU anticipates the appeal to be considered within the next few days.

"In this case, we will seek to cancel this black card because this disqualification will make it impossible for her to participate in the team competition, which will be held in Milan in a few days," Illiashev said. "And it is important for us that our team performs."

The women's team sabre event begins Saturday.

Kharlan is representing Ukraine at the competition after the country's sports ministry on Wednesday relaxed its rules over national sports teams competing in Olympic, non-Olympic and Paralympic events that have competitors from Russia and Belarus.

Smirnova was competing as a neutral athlete.

The International Fencing Federation did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.